Central plant control system with equipment maintenance evaluation

ABSTRACT

A control system for cost optimal operation of an energy facility including equipment covered by a maintenance contract includes equipment configured to operate during an optimization period and a controller. The controller modifies a cost function to include a maintenance cost term that defines a maintenance cost as a function of a rate variable and an equipment usage variable. The controller simulates a cost of operating the energy facility over the optimization period at each of a plurality of different values of the rate variable, selects a value of the rate variable that results in a lowest cost of operating the energy facility over the optimization period, performs an online optimization of the cost function with the rate variable set to the selected value to generate one or more setpoints for the equipment, and operates the equipment during the optimization period in accordance with the generated setpoints.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 62/550,437 filed Aug. 25, 2017, the entiredisclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates generally to an energy cost optimizationsystem for a building, a collection of buildings, or a central plant.The present disclosure relates more particularly to an energy costoptimization system that incorporates maintenance contracts into aneconomic optimization for various assets in the building, collection ofbuildings, or the central plant, as well as energy load setpoints forthe assets.

Assets in a building or central plant can include individual pieces ofequipment or groups of equipment. For example, assets can includeboilers, chillers, heat recovery chillers, steam generators, electricalgenerators, thermal energy storage tanks, batteries, air handling units,or other types of equipment in a building or a central plant. Assets caninclude collections of equipment which form a subplant of a centralplant. For example, assets can include a heater subplant, a chillersubplant, a heat recovery chiller subplant, a steam subplant, and/or anelectricity subplant. Some buildings or central plants include assetssuch as thermal energy storage (e.g., one or more cold thermal energystorage tanks) or electrical energy storage (e.g., one or morebatteries).

In some scenarios, an owner of an asset might contract with amaintenance provider to perform maintenance under a fixed contract. Inthis case, the contract terms may specify a base cost c_(base) whichcovers base number of run hours t_(base) and a marginal cost c_(m) foreach hour that the asset is operated exceeding the base number of runhours t_(base). For example, the contract might stipulate $500,000dollars for the first 4,000 run hours and an additional $42 per hourexceeding 4,000 hours. The maintenance cost can be expressed as apiecewise-defined function, as shown in the following equation:

${AnnualCost} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}c_{base} & {t < t_{base}} \\{c_{base} + {c_{m}\left( {t - t_{base}} \right)}} & {t \geq t_{base}}\end{matrix} \right.$

where AnnualCost is the total maintenance cost per year, c_(base) is thebase cost, t_(base) is the base number of hours covered by the base costc_(base), c_(m) is the marginal cost for each run hour exceeding thebase number of run hours t_(base), and t is the number of run hours ofthe asset. It can be difficult to incorporate this type of maintenancecontract an economic optimization for the asset.

SUMMARY

One implementation of the present disclosure is a control system forcost optimal operation of an energy facility including equipment coveredby a maintenance contract. The control system includes equipmentconfigured to operate during an optimization period and a controller.The controller is configured to obtain a cost function that defines acost of operating the energy facility over the optimization period as afunction of one or more setpoints for the equipment, modify the costfunction to include a maintenance cost term that defines a maintenancecost as a function of a rate variable and an equipment usage variable,simulate the cost of operating the energy facility over the optimizationperiod at each of a plurality of different values of the rate variable,select a value of the rate variable that results in a lowest cost ofoperating the energy facility over the optimization period, perform anonline optimization of the cost function with the rate variable set tothe selected value to generate the one or more setpoints for theequipment, and operate the equipment during the optimization period inaccordance with the one or more setpoints generated by performing theonline optimization.

In some embodiments, the equipment usage variable quantifies a totalnumber of run hours during which the equipment are operated over theoptimization period and the rate variable defines an hourly cost ofmaintenance per run hour of the equipment.

In some embodiments, the equipment usage variable quantifies a totalproduction of the equipment over the optimization period and the ratevariable defines a cost of maintenance per unit of production of theequipment.

In some embodiments, the maintenance contract defines the maintenancecost as a piecewise-defined function of the equipment usage variable.The maintenance cost may be equal to a base cost if the equipment areoperated such that the equipment usage variable is less than a basevalue. The maintenance cost may be equal to the base cost plus a penaltycost if the equipment are operated such that the equipment usagevariable is greater than or equal to the base value, the penalty costcomprising a product of a marginal cost and an amount by which theequipment usage variable exceeds the base value.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to determine, for eachof the plurality of different values of the rate variable, acorresponding value of the equipment usage variable that results fromsimulating the cost of operating the energy facility over theoptimization period at the corresponding value of the rate variable. Thecontroller may be configured to identify the value of the rate variablethat results in the corresponding equipment usage variable having avalue substantially equal to a base value of the equipment usagevariable defined by the maintenance contract and select the identifiedvalue of the rate variable as the value of the rate variable thatresults in the lowest cost of operating the energy facility over theoptimization period.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to simulate the costof operating the energy facility over the optimization period with therate variable set to zero to determine a corresponding value of theequipment usage variable, determine whether the corresponding value ofthe equipment usage variable is less than a base value of the equipmentusage variable defined by the maintenance contract, and perform theonline optimization with the rate variable set to zero in response to adetermination that the corresponding value of the equipment usagevariable is less than the base value of the equipment usage variabledefined by the maintenance contract.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to simulate the costof operating the energy facility over the optimization period with therate variable set to a marginal cost defined by the maintenance contractto determine a corresponding value of the equipment usage variable,determine whether the corresponding value of the equipment usagevariable is greater than a base value of the equipment usage variabledefined by the maintenance contract, and perform the online optimizationwith the rate variable set to the marginal cost in response to adetermination that the corresponding value of the equipment usagevariable is greater than the base value of the equipment usage variabledefined by the maintenance contract.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to simulate the costof operating the energy facility over the optimization period at each ofthe plurality of different values of the rate variable by setting therate variable to each of the plurality of different values andperforming a plurality of offline optimizations of the cost function.Each offline optimization may use a different version of the costfunction in which the rate variable is set to one of the plurality ofdifferent values.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to identify anexpected operation of the equipment during a time step of theoptimization period based on the one or more setpoints generated by theonline optimization, compare the expected operation of the equipmentduring the time step with an actual operation of the equipment duringthe time step, and update the value of the rate variable in response tothe actual operation of the equipment during the time step differingfrom the expected operation of the equipment during the time step.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to update the value ofthe rate variable at a time during the optimization period byidentifying a base value of the equipment usage variable defined by themaintenance contract and calculating a difference between the base valueof the equipment usage variable and an amount of the equipment usagevariable used between a beginning of the optimization period and thetime during the optimization period. The controller may determine, foreach of a plurality of different values of the rate variable, acorresponding value of the equipment usage variable that results fromsimulating the cost of operating the energy facility over an amount oftime remaining in the optimization period at the corresponding value ofthe rate variable. The controller may select the value of the ratevariable that results in the corresponding value of the equipment usagevariable having a value substantially equal to the difference betweenthe base value of the equipment usage variable and the amount of theequipment usage variable used between the beginning of the optimizationperiod and the time during the optimization period.

Another implementation of the present disclosure is a method for costoptimal operation of an energy facility including equipment covered by amaintenance contract. The method includes obtaining a cost function thatdefines a cost of operating the energy facility over the optimizationperiod as a function of one or more setpoints for the equipment,modifying the cost function to include a maintenance cost term thatdefines a maintenance cost as a function of a rate variable and anenergy usage variable, simulating the cost of operating the energyfacility over the optimization period at each of a plurality ofdifferent values of the rate variable, selecting a value of the ratevariable that results in a lowest cost of operating the energy facilityover the optimization period, performing an online optimization of thecost function with the rate variable set to the selected value togenerate the one or more setpoints for the equipment, and operating theequipment during the optimization period in accordance with the one ormore setpoints generated by performing the online optimization.

In some embodiments, the equipment usage variable quantifies a totalnumber of run hours during which the equipment are operated over theoptimization period and the rate variable defines an hourly cost ofmaintenance per run hour of the equipment.

In some embodiments, the equipment usage variable quantifies a totalproduction of the equipment over the optimization period and the ratevariable defines a cost of maintenance per unit of production of theequipment.

In some embodiments, the maintenance contract defines the maintenancecost as a piecewise-defined function of the equipment usage variable.The maintenance cost may be equal to a base cost if the equipment areoperated such that the equipment usage variable is less than a basevalue. The maintenance cost may be equal to the base cost plus a penaltycost if the equipment are operated such that the equipment usagevariable is greater than or equal to the base value, the penalty costcomprising a product of a marginal cost and an amount by which theequipment usage variable exceeds the base value.

In some embodiments, the method includes determining, for each of theplurality of different values of the rate variable, a correspondingvalue of the equipment usage variable that results from simulating thecost of operating the energy facility over the optimization period atthe corresponding value of the rate variable. The method may includeidentifying the value of the rate variable that results in thecorresponding equipment usage variable having a value substantiallyequal to a base value of the equipment usage variable defined by themaintenance contract and selecting the identified value of the ratevariable as the value of the rate variable that results in the lowestcost of operating the energy facility over the optimization period.

In some embodiments, the method includes simulating the cost ofoperating the energy facility over the optimization period with the ratevariable set to zero to determine a corresponding value of the equipmentusage variable, determining whether the corresponding value of theequipment usage variable is less than a base value of the equipmentusage variable defined by the maintenance contract, and performing theonline optimization with the rate variable set to zero in response to adetermination that the corresponding value of the equipment usagevariable is less than the base value of the equipment usage variabledefined by the maintenance contract.

In some embodiments, the method includes simulating the cost ofoperating the energy facility over the optimization period with the ratevariable set to a marginal cost defined by the maintenance contract todetermine a corresponding value of the equipment usage variable,determining whether the corresponding value of the equipment usagevariable is greater than a base value of the equipment usage variabledefined by the maintenance contract, and performing the onlineoptimization with the rate variable set to the marginal cost in responseto a determination that the corresponding value of the equipment usagevariable is greater than the base value of the equipment usage variabledefined by the maintenance contract.

In some embodiments, simulating the cost of operating the energyfacility over the optimization period at each of the plurality ofdifferent values of the rate variable includes setting the rate variableto each of the plurality of different values and performing a pluralityof offline optimizations of the cost function. Each offline optimizationmay use a different version of the cost function in which the ratevariable is set to one of the plurality of different values.

In some embodiments, the method includes identifying an expectedoperation of the equipment during a time step of the optimization periodbased on the one or more setpoints generated by the online optimization,comparing the expected operation of the equipment during the time stepwith an actual operation of the equipment during the time step, andupdating the value of the rate variable in response to the actualoperation of the equipment during the time step differing from theexpected operation of the equipment during the time step.

In some embodiments, the method includes updating the value of the ratevariable at a time during the optimization period by identifying a basevalue of the equipment usage variable defined by the maintenancecontract and calculating a difference between the base value of theequipment usage variable and an amount of the equipment usage variableused between a beginning of the optimization period and the time duringthe optimization period. The method may include determining, for each ofa plurality of different values of the rate variable, a correspondingvalue of the equipment usage variable that results from simulating thecost of operating the energy facility over an amount of time remainingin the optimization period at the corresponding value of the ratevariable. The method may include selecting the value of the ratevariable that results in the corresponding value of the equipment usagevariable having a value substantially equal to the difference betweenthe base value of the equipment usage variable and the amount of theequipment usage variable used between the beginning of the optimizationperiod and the time during the optimization period.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a frequency response optimization system,according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a graph of a regulation signal which may be provided to thesystem of FIG. 1 and a frequency response signal which may be generatedby the system of FIG. 1, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a photovoltaic energy system configured tosimultaneously perform both ramp rate control and frequency regulationwhile maintaining the state-of-charge of a battery within a desiredrange, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a drawing illustrating the electric supply to an energy gridand electric demand from the energy grid which must be balanced in orderto maintain the grid frequency, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 5A is a block diagram of an energy storage system including thermalenergy storage and electrical energy storage, according to an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 5B is a block diagram of an energy cost optimization system withoutthermal or electrical energy storage, according to an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 6A is block diagram of an energy storage controller which may beused to operate the energy storage system of FIG. 5A, according to anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 6B is a block diagram of a controller which may be used to operatethe energy cost optimization system of FIG. 5B, according to anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a planning tool which can be used todetermine the benefits of investing in a battery asset and calculatevarious financial metrics associated with the investment, according toan exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a drawing illustrating the operation of the planning tool ofFIG. 7, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of a high level optimizer which can beimplemented as a component of the controllers of FIGS. 6A-6B or theplanning tool of FIG. 7, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating the maintenance contracts moduleof FIG. 9 in greater detail, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a graph of a run hour curve which can be generated by themaintenance contracts module of FIG. 9, according to an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart of an offline process which can be performed by aplanning mode optimizer of the maintenance contracts module, accordingto an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart of an offline process which can be performed byan operational mode optimizer of the maintenance contracts module,according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart of an online process which can be performed bythe operational mode optimizer, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a graph of another run hour curve which can be generated bythe maintenance contracts module, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 16 is a graph illustrating a technique for continuously updating anhourly cost used by the maintenance contracts module when a device isexpected to run but actually does not run during a time step of anoptimization period, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a graph illustrating a technique for continuously updatingthe hourly cost when a device is expected to run and actually does runduring a time step of the optimization period, according to an exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 18 is a graph illustrating a technique for continuously updatingthe hourly cost when a device is expected to not run and actually doesnot run during a time step of the optimization period, according to anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a graph illustrating a technique for continuously updatingthe hourly cost when a device is expected to not run but actually doesrun during a time step of the optimization period, according to anexemplary embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a graph illustrating a technique for estimating the on/offstate of devices, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIGS. 21A-21B are graphs illustrating a technique for continuouslyupdating the hourly cost using a difference between a planned change inremaining run hours and an actual change in the remaining run hours,according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Overview

Referring generally to the FIGURES, a building energy cost optimizationsystem with maintenance contract incorporation and components thereofare shown according to various exemplary embodiments. The systems andmethods described herein can be configured to incorporate maintenancecontracts into an economic cost function J(x) used to optimize theutilization of various assets in a building, group of buildings, or acentral plant. Assets can include individual pieces of equipment (e.g.,boilers, chillers, heat recovery chillers, steam generators, electricalgenerators, thermal energy storage tanks, batteries, etc.), groups ofequipment, or entire subplants of a central plant.

A maintenance contracts module can be configured to modify the costfunction J(x) to include a maintenance cost term. The maintenance costterm may account for an economic or monetary cost (e.g., dollars) ofperforming maintenance on the assets. An example of a modified costfunction J_(a)(x) which can be generated by the maintenance contractsmodule is shown in the following equation:

${J_{a}(x)} = {{J(x)} + {\sum\limits_{k \in {horizon}}\mspace{14mu} {c_{hourly}b_{k}}}}$

where J(x) is the original cost function, c_(hourly) is the hourly costof maintenance, and b_(k) is a binary variable representing the on/offstate of the asset at hour k of the optimization period. For example,b_(k) may have a value of b_(k)=1 if the asset is on during hour k or avalue of b_(k)=0 if the asset is off during hour k. The value ofc_(hourly) may be determined by the maintenance contracts module, asdescribed in detail below.

Many assets have a fixed maintenance schedule that is dependent on thenumber of run hours since the last time the maintenance was performed.For example, the maintenance schedule for a chiller may involve cleaningthe chiller tubes every X run hours (e.g., every 5000 run hours). Afixed cost $C may be incurred each time the maintenance is performed.For fixed maintenance schedules, the maintenance contracts module candetermine the hourly cost c_(hourly) by taking the maintenance cost $Cand dividing by the number of run hours X between performances of themaintenance (e.g., c_(hourly)=$C/X). The maintenance contracts modulecan then incorporate the hourly cost of maintenance c_(hourly) into thecost function J_(a)(x) as a fixed cost per run hour of the asset.

In some scenarios, an owner of an asset might contract with amaintenance provider to perform maintenance under a fixed contract. Inthis case, the contract terms may specify a base cost c_(base) whichcovers base number of run hours t_(base) and a marginal cost c_(m) foreach hour that the asset is operated exceeding the base number of runhours t_(base). For example, the contract might stipulate $500,000dollars for the first 4,000 run hours and an additional $42 per hourexceeding 4,000 hours. The maintenance cost can be expressed as apiecewise-defined function, as shown in the following equation:

${AnnualCost} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}c_{base} & {t < t_{base}} \\{c_{base} + {c_{m}\left( {t - t_{base}} \right)}} & {t \geq t_{base}}\end{matrix} \right.$

where AnnualCost is the total maintenance cost per year, c_(base) is thebase cost, t_(base) is the base number of hours covered by the base costc_(base), c_(m) is the marginal cost for each run hour exceeding thebase number of run hours t_(base), and t is the number of run hours ofthe asset. Incorporating this type of maintenance contract into theoptimization algorithm can be significantly more complicated thanincorporating a fixed cost per run hour.

The maintenance contracts module can be configured to determine thevalue of c_(hourly) that will yield the optimal solution to the highlevel optimization problem. The value of c_(hourly) may reflect the truehourly cost of maintenance when the cost changes from an already sunkcost with no marginal cost to a marginal cost of c_(m) after theequipment has be used for a stipulated number of run hours. Themaintenance contracts module can use the value of c_(hourly) to definethe maintenance cost term in the modified cost function J_(a)(x).

In some embodiments, the maintenance contracts module is configured torun in an offline mode (e.g., a planning mode) and an online mode (e.g.,an operational mode). In the offline mode, the maintenance contractsmodule can perform several simulations of the year with assumed loadsand utility costs (i.e., a planning run) with different values ofc_(hourly) in the cost function J_(a)(x) to determine the value ofc_(hourly) that yields the optimal results under the terms of themaintenance contract. In the online mode, the maintenance contractsmodule can run the plan at different hourly costs c_(hourly) todetermine how to adjust the hourly cost c_(hourly) at periodic timesduring the course of the year. This allows the maintenance contractsmodule to incorporate feedback as to how many of the base hours t_(base)have actually been used as opposed to how many were expected to be used.The maintenance contracts module can update the hourly cost c_(hourly)throughout the year based on the actual number of run hours of theassets covered by the maintenance contracts. These and other features ofthe maintenance contracts module are described in greater detail below.

Frequency Response Optimization

Referring now to FIG. 1, a frequency response optimization system 100 isshown, according to an exemplary embodiment. System 100 is shown toinclude a campus 102 and an energy grid 104. Campus 102 may include oneor more buildings 116 that receive power from energy grid 104. Buildings116 may include equipment or devices that consume electricity duringoperation. For example, buildings 116 may include HVAC equipment,lighting equipment, security equipment, communications equipment,vending machines, computers, electronics, elevators, or other types ofbuilding equipment.

In some embodiments, buildings 116 are served by a building managementsystem (BMS). A BMS is, in general, a system of devices configured tocontrol, monitor, and manage equipment in or around a building orbuilding area. A BMS can include, for example, a HVAC system, a securitysystem, a lighting system, a fire alerting system, and/or any othersystem that is capable of managing building functions or devices. Anexemplary building management system which may be used to monitor andcontrol buildings 116 is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/717,593 filed May 20, 2015, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated by reference herein.

In some embodiments, campus 102 includes a central plant 118. Centralplant 118 may include one or more subplants that consume resources fromutilities (e.g., water, natural gas, electricity, etc.) to satisfy theloads of buildings 116. For example, central plant 118 may include aheater subplant, a heat recovery chiller subplant, a chiller subplant, acooling tower subplant, a hot thermal energy storage (TES) subplant, anda cold thermal energy storage (TES) subplant, a steam subplant, and/orany other type of subplant configured to serve buildings 116. Thesubplants may be configured to convert input resources (e.g.,electricity, water, natural gas, etc.) into output resources (e.g., coldwater, hot water, chilled air, heated air, etc.) that are provided tobuildings 116. An exemplary central plant which may be used to satisfythe loads of buildings 116 is described U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/634,609 filed Feb. 27, 2015, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated by reference herein.

In some embodiments, campus 102 includes energy generation 120. Energygeneration 120 may be configured to generate energy that can be used bybuildings 116, used by central plant 118, and/or provided to energy grid104. In some embodiments, energy generation 120 generates electricity.For example, energy generation 120 may include an electric power plant,a photovoltaic energy field, or other types of systems or devices thatgenerate electricity. The electricity generated by energy generation 120can be used internally by campus 102 (e.g., by buildings 116 and/orcentral plant 118) to decrease the amount of electric power that campus102 receives from outside sources such as energy grid 104 or battery108. If the amount of electricity generated by energy generation 120exceeds the electric power demand of campus 102, the excess electricpower can be provided to energy grid 104 or stored in battery 108. Thepower output of campus 102 is shown in FIG. 1 as P_(campus). P_(campus)may be positive if campus 102 is outputting electric power or negativeif campus 102 is receiving electric power.

Still referring to FIG. 1, system 100 is shown to include a powerinverter 106 and a battery 108. Power inverter 106 may be configured toconvert electric power between direct current (DC) and alternatingcurrent (AC). For example, battery 108 may be configured to store andoutput DC power, whereas energy grid 104 and campus 102 may beconfigured to consume and generate AC power. Power inverter 106 may beused to convert DC power from battery 108 into a sinusoidal AC outputsynchronized to the grid frequency of energy grid 104. Power inverter106 may also be used to convert AC power from campus 102 or energy grid104 into DC power that can be stored in battery 108. The power output ofbattery 108 is shown as P_(bat). P_(bat) may be positive if battery 108is providing power to power inverter 106 or negative if battery 108 isreceiving power from power inverter 106.

In some embodiments, power inverter 106 receives a DC power output frombattery 108 and converts the DC power output to an AC power output. TheAC power output can be used to satisfy the energy load of campus 102and/or can be provided to energy grid 104. Power inverter 106 maysynchronize the frequency of the AC power output with that of energygrid 104 (e.g., 50 Hz or 60 Hz) using a local oscillator and may limitthe voltage of the AC power output to no higher than the grid voltage.In some embodiments, power inverter 106 is a resonant inverter thatincludes or uses LC circuits to remove the harmonics from a simplesquare wave in order to achieve a sine wave matching the frequency ofenergy grid 104. In various embodiments, power inverter 106 may operateusing high-frequency transformers, low-frequency transformers, orwithout transformers. Low-frequency transformers may convert the DCoutput from battery 108 directly to the AC output provided to energygrid 104. High-frequency transformers may employ a multi-step processthat involves converting the DC output to high-frequency AC, then backto DC, and then finally to the AC output provided to energy grid 104.

System 100 is shown to include a point of interconnection (POI) 110. POI110 is the point at which campus 102, energy grid 104, and powerinverter 106 are electrically connected. The power supplied to POI 110from power inverter 106 is shown as P_(sup). P_(sup) may be defined asP_(bat)+P_(loss), where P_(batt) is the battery power and P_(loss) isthe power loss in the battery system (e.g., losses in power inverter 106and/or battery 108). P_(bat) and P_(sup) may be positive if powerinverter 106 is providing power to POI 110 or negative if power inverter106 is receiving power from POI 110. P_(campus) and P_(sup) combine atPOI 110 to form P_(POI). P_(POI) may be defined as the power provided toenergy grid 104 from POI 110. P_(POI) may be positive if POI 110 isproviding power to energy grid 104 or negative if POI 110 is receivingpower from energy grid 104.

Still referring to FIG. 1, system 100 is shown to include a frequencyresponse controller 112. Controller 112 may be configured to generateand provide power setpoints to power inverter 106. Power inverter 106may use the power setpoints to control the amount of power P_(sup)provided to POI 110 or drawn from POI 110. For example, power inverter106 may be configured to draw power from POI 110 and store the power inbattery 108 in response to receiving a negative power setpoint fromcontroller 112. Conversely, power inverter 106 may be configured to drawpower from battery 108 and provide the power to POI 110 in response toreceiving a positive power setpoint from controller 112. The magnitudeof the power setpoint may define the amount of power P_(sup) provided toor from power inverter 106. Controller 112 may be configured to generateand provide power setpoints that optimize the value of operating system100 over a time horizon.

In some embodiments, frequency response controller 112 uses powerinverter 106 and battery 108 to perform frequency regulation for energygrid 104. Frequency regulation is the process of maintaining thestability of the grid frequency (e.g., 60 Hz in the United States). Thegrid frequency may remain stable and balanced as long as the totalelectric supply and demand of energy grid 104 are balanced. Anydeviation from that balance may result in a deviation of the gridfrequency from its desirable value. For example, an increase in demandmay cause the grid frequency to decrease, whereas an increase in supplymay cause the grid frequency to increase. Frequency response controller112 may be configured to offset a fluctuation in the grid frequency bycausing power inverter 106 to supply energy from battery 108 to energygrid 104 (e.g., to offset a decrease in grid frequency) or store energyfrom energy grid 104 in battery 108 (e.g., to offset an increase in gridfrequency).

In some embodiments, frequency response controller 112 uses powerinverter 106 and battery 108 to perform load shifting for campus 102.For example, controller 112 may cause power inverter 106 to store energyin battery 108 when energy prices are low and retrieve energy frombattery 108 when energy prices are high in order to reduce the cost ofelectricity required to power campus 102. Load shifting may also allowsystem 100 reduce the demand charge incurred. Demand charge is anadditional charge imposed by some utility providers based on the maximumpower consumption during an applicable demand charge period. Forexample, a demand charge rate may be specified in terms of dollars perunit of power (e.g., $/kW) and may be multiplied by the peak power usage(e.g., kW) during a demand charge period to calculate the demand charge.Load shifting may allow system 100 to smooth momentary spikes in theelectric demand of campus 102 by drawing energy from battery 108 inorder to reduce peak power draw from energy grid 104, thereby decreasingthe demand charge incurred.

Still referring to FIG. 1, system 100 is shown to include an incentiveprovider 114. Incentive provider 114 may be a utility (e.g., an electricutility), a regional transmission organization (RTO), an independentsystem operator (ISO), or any other entity that provides incentives forperforming frequency regulation. For example, incentive provider 114 mayprovide system 100 with monetary incentives for participating in afrequency response program. In order to participate in the frequencyresponse program, system 100 may maintain a reserve capacity of storedenergy (e.g., in battery 108) that can be provided to energy grid 104.System 100 may also maintain the capacity to draw energy from energygrid 104 and store the energy in battery 108. Reserving both of thesecapacities may be accomplished by managing the state-of-charge ofbattery 108.

Frequency response controller 112 may provide incentive provider 114with a price bid and a capability bid. The price bid may include a priceper unit power (e.g., $/MW) for reserving or storing power that allowssystem 100 to participate in a frequency response program offered byincentive provider 114. The price per unit power bid by frequencyresponse controller 112 is referred to herein as the “capability price.”The price bid may also include a price for actual performance, referredto herein as the “performance price.” The capability bid may define anamount of power (e.g., MW) that system 100 will reserve or store inbattery 108 to perform frequency response, referred to herein as the“capability bid.”

Incentive provider 114 may provide frequency response controller 112with a capability clearing price CP_(cap), a performance clearing priceCP_(perf), and a regulation award Reg_(award), which correspond to thecapability price, the performance price, and the capability bid,respectively. In some embodiments, CP_(cap), CP_(perf), and Reg_(award)are the same as the corresponding bids placed by controller 112. Inother embodiments, CP_(cap), CP_(perf), and Reg_(award) may not be thesame as the bids placed by controller 112. For example, CP_(cap),CP_(perf), and Reg_(award) may be generated by incentive provider 114based on bids received from multiple participants in the frequencyresponse program. Controller 112 may use CP_(cap), CP_(perf), andReg_(award) to perform frequency regulation.

Frequency response controller 112 is shown receiving a regulation signalfrom incentive provider 114. The regulation signal may specify a portionof the regulation award Reg_(award) that frequency response controller112 is to add or remove from energy grid 104. In some embodiments, theregulation signal is a normalized signal (e.g., between −1 and 1)specifying a proportion of Reg_(award). Positive values of theregulation signal may indicate an amount of power to add to energy grid104, whereas negative values of the regulation signal may indicate anamount of power to remove from energy grid 104.

Frequency response controller 112 may respond to the regulation signalby generating an optimal power setpoint for power inverter 106. Theoptimal power setpoint may take into account both the potential revenuefrom participating in the frequency response program and the costs ofparticipation. Costs of participation may include, for example, amonetized cost of battery degradation as well as the energy and demandcharges that will be incurred. The optimization may be performed usingsequential quadratic programming, dynamic programming, or any otheroptimization technique.

In some embodiments, controller 112 uses a battery life model toquantify and monetize battery degradation as a function of the powersetpoints provided to power inverter 106. Advantageously, the batterylife model allows controller 112 to perform an optimization that weighsthe revenue generation potential of participating in the frequencyresponse program against the cost of battery degradation and other costsof participation (e.g., less battery power available for campus 102,increased electricity costs, etc.). An exemplary regulation signal andpower response are described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a pair of frequency response graphs 200 and 250are shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. Graph 200 illustrates aregulation signal Reg_(signal) 202 as a function of time. Reg_(signal)202 is shown as a normalized signal ranging from −1 to 1 (i.e.,−1≤Reg_(signal)≤1). Reg_(signal) 202 may be generated by incentiveprovider 114 and provided to frequency response controller 112.Reg_(signal) 202 may define a proportion of the regulation awardReg_(award) 254 that controller 112 is to add or remove from energy grid104, relative to a baseline value referred to as the midpoint b 256. Forexample, if the value of Reg_(award) 254 is 10 MW, a regulation signalvalue of 0.5 (i.e., Reg_(signal)=0.5) may indicate that system 100 isrequested to add 5 MW of power at POI 110 relative to midpoint b (e.g.,P*_(POI)=10 MW×0.5+b), whereas a regulation signal value of −0.3 mayindicate that system 100 is requested to remove 3 MW of power from POI110 relative to midpoint b (e.g., P*_(POI)=10 MW×−0.3+b).

Graph 250 illustrates the desired interconnection power P*_(POI) 252 asa function of time. P*_(POI) 252 may be calculated by frequency responsecontroller 112 based on Reg_(signal) 202, Reg_(award) 254, and amidpoint b 256. For example, controller 112 may calculate P*_(POI) 252using the following equation:

P* _(POI)=Reg_(award)×Reg_(signal) +b

where P*_(POI) represents the desired power at POI 110 (e.g.,P*_(POI)=P_(sup)+P_(campus)) and b is the midpoint. Midpoint b may bedefined (e.g., set or optimized) by controller 112 and may represent themidpoint of regulation around which the load is modified in response toReg_(signal) 202. Optimal adjustment of midpoint b may allow controller112 to actively participate in the frequency response market while alsotaking into account the energy and demand charge that will be incurred.

In order to participate in the frequency response market, controller 112may perform several tasks. Controller 112 may generate a price bid(e.g., $/MW) that includes the capability price and the performanceprice. In some embodiments, controller 112 sends the price bid toincentive provider 114 at approximately 15:30 each day and the price bidremains in effect for the entirety of the next day. Prior to beginning afrequency response period, controller 112 may generate the capabilitybid (e.g., MW) and send the capability bid to incentive provider 114. Insome embodiments, controller 112 generates and sends the capability bidto incentive provider 114 approximately 1.5 hours before a frequencyresponse period begins. In an exemplary embodiment, each frequencyresponse period has a duration of one hour; however, it is contemplatedthat frequency response periods may have any duration.

At the start of each frequency response period, controller 112 maygenerate the midpoint b around which controller 112 plans to performfrequency regulation. In some embodiments, controller 112 generates amidpoint b that will maintain battery 108 at a constant state-of-charge(SOC) (i.e. a midpoint that will result in battery 108 having the sameSOC at the beginning and end of the frequency response period). In otherembodiments, controller 112 generates midpoint b using an optimizationprocedure that allows the SOC of battery 108 to have different values atthe beginning and end of the frequency response period. For example,controller 112 may use the SOC of battery 108 as a constrained variablethat depends on midpoint b in order to optimize a value function thattakes into account frequency response revenue, energy costs, and thecost of battery degradation. Exemplary techniques for calculating and/oroptimizing midpoint b under both the constant SOC scenario and thevariable SOC scenario are described in detail in U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/247,883 filed Aug. 25, 2016, U.S. patent application Ser.No. 15/247,885 filed Aug. 25, 2016, and U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/247,886 filed Aug. 25, 2016. The entire disclosure of each of thesepatent applications is incorporated by reference herein.

During each frequency response period, controller 112 may periodicallygenerate a power setpoint for power inverter 106. For example,controller 112 may generate a power setpoint for each time step in thefrequency response period. In some embodiments, controller 112 generatesthe power setpoints using the equation:

P* _(POI)=Reg_(award)×Reg_(signal) +b

where P*_(POI)=P_(sup)+P_(campus). Positive values of P*_(POI) indicateenergy flow from POI 110 to energy grid 104. Positive values of P_(sup)and P_(campus) indicate energy flow to POI 110 from power inverter 106and campus 102, respectively.

In other embodiments, controller 112 generates the power setpoints usingthe equation:

P* _(POI)=Reg_(award)×Res_(FR) +b

where Res_(FR) is an optimal frequency response generated by optimizinga value function. Controller 112 may subtract P_(campus) from P*_(POI)to generate the power setpoint for power inverter 106 (i.e.,P_(sup)=P*_(POI)−P_(campus)). The power setpoint for power inverter 106indicates the amount of power that power inverter 106 is to add to POI110 (if the power setpoint is positive) or remove from POI 110 (if thepower setpoint is negative). Exemplary techniques which can be used bycontroller 112 to calculate power inverter setpoints are described indetail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/247,793 filed Aug. 25,2016, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/247,784 filed Aug. 25, 2016,and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/247,777 filed Aug. 25, 2016. Theentire disclosure of each of these patent applications is incorporatedby reference herein.Photovoltaic Energy System with Frequency Regulation and Ramp RateControl

Referring now to FIGS. 3-4, a photovoltaic energy system 300 that usesbattery storage to simultaneously perform both ramp rate control andfrequency regulation is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment.Ramp rate control is the process of offsetting ramp rates (i.e.,increases or decreases in the power output of an energy system such as aphotovoltaic energy system) that fall outside of compliance limitsdetermined by the electric power authority overseeing the energy grid.Ramp rate control typically requires the use of an energy source thatallows for offsetting ramp rates by either supplying additional power tothe grid or consuming more power from the grid. In some instances, afacility is penalized for failing to comply with ramp rate requirements.

Frequency regulation is the process of maintaining the stability of thegrid frequency (e.g., 60 Hz in the United States). As shown in FIG. 4,the grid frequency may remain balanced at 60 Hz as long as there is abalance between the demand from the energy grid and the supply to theenergy grid. An increase in demand yields a decrease in grid frequency,whereas an increase in supply yields an increase in grid frequency.During a fluctuation of the grid frequency, system 300 may offset thefluctuation by either drawing more energy from the energy grid (e.g., ifthe grid frequency is too high) or by providing energy to the energygrid (e.g., if the grid frequency is too low). Advantageously, system300 may use battery storage in combination with photovoltaic power toperform frequency regulation while simultaneously complying with ramprate requirements and maintaining the state-of-charge of the batterystorage within a predetermined desirable range.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, system 300 is shown to include aphotovoltaic (PV) field 302, a PV field power inverter 304, a battery306, a battery power inverter 308, a point of interconnection (POI) 310,and an energy grid 312. PV field 302 may include a collection ofphotovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic cells are configured to convertsolar energy (i.e., sunlight) into electricity using a photovoltaicmaterial such as monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon,amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, copper indium galliumselenide/sulfide, or other materials that exhibit the photovoltaiceffect. In some embodiments, the photovoltaic cells are contained withinpackaged assemblies that form solar panels. Each solar panel may includea plurality of linked photovoltaic cells. The solar panels may combineto form a photovoltaic array.

PV field 302 may have any of a variety of sizes and/or locations. Insome embodiments, PV field 302 is part of a large-scale photovoltaicpower station (e.g., a solar park or farm) capable of providing anenergy supply to a large number of consumers. When implemented as partof a large-scale system, PV field 302 may cover multiple hectares andmay have power outputs of tens or hundreds of megawatts. In otherembodiments, PV field 302 may cover a smaller area and may have arelatively lesser power output (e.g., between one and ten megawatts,less than one megawatt, etc.). For example, PV field 302 may be part ofa rooftop-mounted system capable of providing enough electricity topower a single home or building. It is contemplated that PV field 302may have any size, scale, and/or power output, as may be desirable indifferent implementations.

PV field 302 may generate a direct current (DC) output that depends onthe intensity and/or directness of the sunlight to which the solarpanels are exposed. The directness of the sunlight may depend on theangle of incidence of the sunlight relative to the surfaces of the solarpanels. The intensity of the sunlight may be affected by a variety ofenvironmental factors such as the time of day (e.g., sunrises andsunsets) and weather variables such as clouds that cast shadows upon PVfield 302. When PV field 302 is partially or completely covered byshadow, the power output of PV field 302 (i.e., PV field power P_(PV))may drop as a result of the decrease in solar intensity.

In some embodiments, PV field 302 is configured to maximize solar energycollection. For example, PV field 302 may include a solar tracker (e.g.,a GPS tracker, a sunlight sensor, etc.) that adjusts the angle of thesolar panels so that the solar panels are aimed directly at the sunthroughout the day. The solar tracker may allow the solar panels toreceive direct sunlight for a greater portion of the day and mayincrease the total amount of power produced by PV field 302. In someembodiments, PV field 302 includes a collection of mirrors, lenses, orsolar concentrators configured to direct and/or concentrate sunlight onthe solar panels. The energy generated by PV field 302 may be stored inbattery 306 or provided to energy grid 312.

Still referring to FIG. 3, system 300 is shown to include a PV fieldpower inverter 304. Power inverter 304 may be configured to convert theDC output of PV field 302 P_(PV) into an alternating current (AC) outputthat can be fed into energy grid 312 or used by a local (e.g., off-grid)electrical network. For example, power inverter 304 may be a solarinverter or grid-tie inverter configured to convert the DC output fromPV field 302 into a sinusoidal AC output synchronized to the gridfrequency of energy grid 312. In some embodiments, power inverter 304receives a cumulative DC output from PV field 302. For example, powerinverter 304 may be a string inverter or a central inverter. In otherembodiments, power inverter 304 may include a collection ofmicro-inverters connected to each solar panel or solar cell. PV fieldpower inverter 304 may convert the DC power output P_(PV) into an ACpower output u_(PV) and provide the AC power output u_(PV) to POI 310.

Power inverter 304 may receive the DC power output P_(PV) from PV field302 and convert the DC power output to an AC power output that can befed into energy grid 312. Power inverter 304 may synchronize thefrequency of the AC power output with that of energy grid 312 (e.g., 50Hz or 60 Hz) using a local oscillator and may limit the voltage of theAC power output to no higher than the grid voltage. In some embodiments,power inverter 304 is a resonant inverter that includes or uses LCcircuits to remove the harmonics from a simple square wave in order toachieve a sine wave matching the frequency of energy grid 312. Invarious embodiments, power inverter 304 may operate using high-frequencytransformers, low-frequency transformers, or without transformers.Low-frequency transformers may convert the DC output from PV field 302directly to the AC output provided to energy grid 312. High-frequencytransformers may employ a multi-step process that involves convertingthe DC output to high-frequency AC, then back to DC, and then finally tothe AC output provided to energy grid 312.

Power inverter 304 may be configured to perform maximum power pointtracking and/or anti-islanding. Maximum power point tracking may allowpower inverter 304 to produce the maximum possible AC power from PVfield 302. For example, power inverter 304 may sample the DC poweroutput from PV field 302 and apply a variable resistance to find theoptimum maximum power point. Anti-islanding is a protection mechanismthat immediately shuts down power inverter 304 (i.e., preventing powerinverter 304 from generating AC power) when the connection to anelectricity-consuming load no longer exists. In some embodiments, PVfield power inverter 304 performs ramp rate control by limiting thepower generated by PV field 302.

Still referring to FIG. 3, system 300 is shown to include a batterypower inverter 308. Battery power inverter 308 may be configured to drawa DC power P_(bat) from battery 306, convert the DC power P_(bat) intoan AC power u_(bat), and provide the AC power u_(bat) to POI 310.Battery power inverter 308 may also be configured to draw the AC poweru_(bat) from POI 310, convert the AC power u_(bat) into a DC batterypower P_(bat), and store the DC battery power P_(bat) in battery 306.The DC battery power P_(bat) may be positive if battery 306 is providingpower to battery power inverter 308 (i.e., if battery 306 isdischarging) or negative if battery 306 is receiving power from batterypower inverter 308 (i.e., if battery 306 is charging). Similarly, the ACbattery power u_(bat) may be positive if battery power inverter 308 isproviding power to POI 310 or negative if battery power inverter 308 isreceiving power from POI 310.

The AC battery power u_(bat) is shown to include an amount of power usedfor frequency regulation (i.e., u_(FR)) and an amount of power used forramp rate control (i.e., u_(RR)) which together form the AC batterypower (i.e., u_(bat)=u_(FR)+u_(RR)). The DC battery power P_(bat) isshown to include both u_(FR) and u_(RR) as well as an additional termP_(loss) representing power losses in battery 306 and/or battery powerinverter 308 (i.e., P_(bat)=u_(FR)+u_(RR)+P_(loss)). The PV field poweru_(PV) and the battery power u_(bat) combine at POI 110 to form P_(POI)(i.e., P_(POI)=u_(PV)+u_(bat)), which represents the amount of powerprovided to energy grid 312. P_(POI) may be positive if POI 310 isproviding power to energy grid 312 or negative if POI 310 is receivingpower from energy grid 312.

Still referring to FIG. 3, system 300 is shown to include a controller314. Controller 314 may be configured to generate a PV power setpointu_(PV) for PV field power inverter 304 and a battery power setpointu_(bat) for battery power inverter 308. Throughout this disclosure, thevariable u_(PV) is used to refer to both the PV power setpoint generatedby controller 314 and the AC power output of PV field power inverter 304since both quantities have the same value. Similarly, the variableu_(bat) is used to refer to both the battery power setpoint generated bycontroller 314 and the AC power output/input of battery power inverter308 since both quantities have the same value.

PV field power inverter 304 uses the PV power setpoint u_(PV) to controlan amount of the PV field power P_(PV) to provide to POI 110. Themagnitude of u_(PV) may be the same as the magnitude of P_(PV) or lessthan the magnitude of P_(PV). For example, u_(PV) may be the same asP_(PV) if controller 314 determines that PV field power inverter 304 isto provide all of the photovoltaic power P_(PV) to POI 310. However,u_(PV) may be less than P_(PV) if controller 314 determines that PVfield power inverter 304 is to provide less than all of the photovoltaicpower P_(PV) to POI 310. For example, controller 314 may determine thatit is desirable for PV field power inverter 304 to provide less than allof the photovoltaic power P_(PV) to POI 310 to prevent the ramp ratefrom being exceeded and/or to prevent the power at POI 310 fromexceeding a power limit.

Battery power inverter 308 uses the battery power setpoint u_(bat) tocontrol an amount of power charged or discharged by battery 306. Thebattery power setpoint u_(bat) may be positive if controller 314determines that battery power inverter 308 is to draw power from battery306 or negative if controller 314 determines that battery power inverter308 is to store power in battery 306. The magnitude of u_(bat) controlsthe rate at which energy is charged or discharged by battery 306.

Controller 314 may generate u_(PV) and u_(bat) based on a variety ofdifferent variables including, for example, a power signal from PV field302 (e.g., current and previous values for P_(PV)), the currentstate-of-charge (SOC) of battery 306, a maximum battery power limit, amaximum power limit at POI 310, the ramp rate limit, the grid frequencyof energy grid 312, and/or other variables that can be used bycontroller 314 to perform ramp rate control and/or frequency regulation.Advantageously, controller 314 generates values for u_(PV) and u_(bat)that maintain the ramp rate of the PV power within the ramp ratecompliance limit while participating in the regulation of grid frequencyand maintaining the SOC of battery 306 within a predetermined desirablerange.

An exemplary controller which can be used as controller 314 andexemplary processes which may be performed by controller 314 to generatethe PV power setpoint u_(PV) and the battery power setpoint u_(bat) aredescribed in detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/247,869 filedAug. 25, 2016, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/247,844 filed Aug.25, 2016, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/247,788 filed Aug. 25,2016, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/247,872 filed Aug. 25, 2016,U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/247,880 filed Aug. 25, 2016, andU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/247,873 filed Aug. 25, 2016. Theentire disclosure of each of these patent applications is incorporatedby reference herein.

Energy Storage System with Thermal and Electrical Energy Storage

Referring now to FIG. 5A, a block diagram of an energy storage system500 is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. Energy storagesystem 500 is shown to include a building 502. Building 502 may be thesame or similar to buildings 116, as described with reference to FIG. 1.For example, building 502 may be equipped with a HVAC system and/or abuilding management system that operates to control conditions withinbuilding 502. In some embodiments, building 502 includes multiplebuildings (i.e., a campus) served by energy storage system 500. Building502 may demand various resources including, for example, hot thermalenergy (e.g., hot water), cold thermal energy (e.g., cold water), and/orelectrical energy. The resources may be demanded by equipment orsubsystems within building 502 or by external systems that provideservices for building 502 (e.g., heating, cooling, air circulation,lighting, electricity, etc.). Energy storage system 500 operates tosatisfy the resource demand associated with building 502.

Energy storage system 500 is shown to include a plurality of utilities510. Utilities 510 may provide energy storage system 500 with resourcessuch as electricity, water, natural gas, or any other resource that canbe used by energy storage system 500 to satisfy the demand of building502. For example, utilities 510 are shown to include an electric utility511, a water utility 512, a natural gas utility 513, and utility M 514,where M is the total number of utilities 510. In some embodiments,utilities 510 are commodity suppliers from which resources and othertypes of commodities can be purchased. Resources purchased fromutilities 510 can be used by generator subplants 520 to producegenerated resources (e.g., hot water, cold water, electricity, steam,etc.), stored in storage subplants 530 for later use, or provideddirectly to building 502. For example, utilities 510 are shown providingelectricity directly to building 502 and storage subplants 530.

Energy storage system 500 is shown to include a plurality of generatorsubplants 520. In some embodiments, generator subplants 520 arecomponents of a central plant (e.g., central plant 118). Generatorsubplants 520 are shown to include a heater subplant 521, a chillersubplant 522, a heat recovery chiller subplant 523, a steam subplant524, an electricity subplant 525, and subplant N, where N is the totalnumber of generator subplants 520. Generator subplants 520 may beconfigured to convert one or more input resources into one or moreoutput resources by operation of the equipment within generatorsubplants 520. For example, heater subplant 521 may be configured togenerate hot thermal energy (e.g., hot water) by heating water usingelectricity or natural gas. Chiller subplant 522 may be configured togenerate cold thermal energy (e.g., cold water) by chilling water usingelectricity. Heat recovery chiller subplant 523 may be configured togenerate hot thermal energy and cold thermal energy by removing heatfrom one water supply and adding the heat to another water supply. Steamsubplant 524 may be configured to generate steam by boiling water usingelectricity or natural gas. Electricity subplant 525 may be configuredto generate electricity using mechanical generators (e.g., a steamturbine, a gas-powered generator, etc.) or other types ofelectricity-generating equipment (e.g., photovoltaic equipment,hydroelectric equipment, etc.).

The input resources used by generator subplants 520 may be provided byutilities 510, retrieved from storage subplants 530, and/or generated byother generator subplants 520. For example, steam subplant 524 mayproduce steam as an output resource. Electricity subplant 525 mayinclude a steam turbine that uses the steam generated by steam subplant524 as an input resource to generate electricity. The output resourcesproduced by generator subplants 520 may be stored in storage subplants530, provided to building 502, sold to energy purchasers 504, and/orused by other generator subplants 520. For example, the electricitygenerated by electricity subplant 525 may be stored in electrical energystorage 533, used by chiller subplant 522 to generate cold thermalenergy, provided to building 502, and/or sold to energy purchasers 504.

Energy storage system 500 is shown to include storage subplants 530. Insome embodiments, storage subplants 530 are components of a centralplant (e.g., central plant 118). Storage subplants 530 may be configuredto store energy and other types of resources for later use. Each ofstorage subplants 530 may be configured to store a different type ofresource. For example, storage subplants 530 are shown to include hotthermal energy storage 531 (e.g., one or more hot water storage tanks),cold thermal energy storage 532 (e.g., one or more cold thermal energystorage tanks), electrical energy storage 533 (e.g., one or morebatteries), and resource type P storage 534, where P is the total numberof storage subplants 530. The resources stored in subplants 530 may bepurchased directly from utilities 510 or generated by generatorsubplants 520.

In some embodiments, storage subplants 530 are used by energy storagesystem 500 to take advantage of price-based demand response (PBDR)programs. PBDR programs encourage consumers to reduce consumption whengeneration, transmission, and distribution costs are high. PBDR programsare typically implemented (e.g., by utilities 510) in the form of energyprices that vary as a function of time. For example, utilities 510 mayincrease the price per unit of electricity during peak usage hours toencourage customers to reduce electricity consumption during peak times.Some utilities also charge consumers a separate demand charge based onthe maximum rate of electricity consumption at any time during apredetermined demand charge period.

Advantageously, storing energy and other types of resources in subplants530 allows for the resources to be purchased at times when the resourcesare relatively less expensive (e.g., during non-peak electricity hours)and stored for use at times when the resources are relatively moreexpensive (e.g., during peak electricity hours). Storing resources insubplants 530 also allows the resource demand of building 502 to beshifted in time. For example, resources can be purchased from utilities510 at times when the demand for heating or cooling is low andimmediately converted into hot or cold thermal energy by generatorsubplants 520. The thermal energy can be stored in storage subplants 530and retrieved at times when the demand for heating or cooling is high.This allows energy storage system 500 to smooth the resource demand ofbuilding 502 and reduces the maximum required capacity of generatorsubplants 520. Smoothing the demand also allows energy storage system500 to reduce the peak electricity consumption, which results in a lowerdemand charge.

In some embodiments, storage subplants 530 are used by energy storagesystem 500 to take advantage of incentive-based demand response (IBDR)programs. IBDR programs provide incentives to customers who have thecapability to store energy, generate energy, or curtail energy usageupon request. Incentives are typically provided in the form of monetaryrevenue paid by utilities 510 or by an independent service operator(ISO). IBDR programs supplement traditional utility-owned generation,transmission, and distribution assets with additional options formodifying demand load curves. For example, stored energy can be sold toenergy purchasers 504 (e.g., an energy grid) to supplement the energygenerated by utilities 510. In some instances, incentives forparticipating in an IBDR program vary based on how quickly a system canrespond to a request to change power output/consumption. Fasterresponses may be compensated at a higher level. Advantageously,electrical energy storage 533 allows system 500 to quickly respond to arequest for electric power by rapidly discharging stored electricalenergy to energy purchasers 504.

Still referring to FIG. 5A, energy storage system 500 is shown toinclude an energy storage controller 506. Energy storage controller 506may be configured to control the distribution, production, storage, andusage of resources in energy storage system 500. In some embodiments,energy storage controller 506 performs an optimization process determinean optimal set of control decisions for each time step within anoptimization period. The control decisions may include, for example, anoptimal amount of each resource to purchase from utilities 510, anoptimal amount of each resource to produce or convert using generatorsubplants 520, an optimal amount of each resource to store or removefrom storage subplants 530, an optimal amount of each resource to sellto energy purchasers 504, and/or an optimal amount of each resource toprovide to building 502. In some embodiments, the control decisionsinclude an optimal amount of each input resource and output resource foreach of generator subplants 520.

Controller 506 may be configured to maximize the economic value ofoperating energy storage system 500 over the duration of theoptimization period. The economic value may be defined by a valuefunction that expresses economic value as a function of the controldecisions made by controller 506. The value function may account for thecost of resources purchased from utilities 510, revenue generated byselling resources to energy purchasers 504, and the cost of operatingenergy storage system 500. In some embodiments, the cost of operatingenergy storage system 500 includes a cost for losses in battery capacityas a result of the charging and discharging electrical energy storage533. The cost of operating energy storage system 500 may also include acost of excessive equipment start/stops during the optimization period.

Each of subplants 520-530 may include equipment that can be controlledby energy storage controller 506 to optimize the performance of energystorage system 500. Subplant equipment may include, for example, heatingdevices, chillers, heat recovery heat exchangers, cooling towers, energystorage devices, pumps, valves, and/or other devices of subplants520-530. Individual devices of generator subplants 520 can be turned onor off to adjust the resource production of each generator subplant. Insome embodiments, individual devices of generator subplants 520 can beoperated at variable capacities (e.g., operating a chiller at 10%capacity or 60% capacity) according to an operating setpoint receivedfrom energy storage controller 506.

In some embodiments, one or more of subplants 520-530 includes asubplant level controller configured to control the equipment of thecorresponding subplant. For example, energy storage controller 506 maydetermine an on/off configuration and global operating setpoints for thesubplant equipment. In response to the on/off configuration and receivedglobal operating setpoints, the subplant controllers may turn individualdevices of their respective equipment on or off, and implement specificoperating setpoints (e.g., damper position, vane position, fan speed,pump speed, etc.) to reach or maintain the global operating setpoints.

In some embodiments, controller 506 maximizes the life cycle economicvalue of energy storage system 500 while participating in PBDR programs,IBDR programs, or simultaneously in both PBDR and IBDR programs. For theIBDR programs, controller 506 may use statistical estimates of pastclearing prices, mileage ratios, and event probabilities to determinethe revenue generation potential of selling stored energy to energypurchasers 504. For the PBDR programs, controller 506 may usepredictions of ambient conditions, facility thermal loads, andthermodynamic models of installed equipment to estimate the resourceconsumption of subplants 520. Controller 506 may use predictions of theresource consumption to monetize the costs of running the equipment.

Controller 506 may automatically determine (e.g., without humanintervention) a combination of PBDR and/or IBDR programs in which toparticipate over the optimization period in order to maximize economicvalue. For example, controller 506 may consider the revenue generationpotential of IBDR programs, the cost reduction potential of PBDRprograms, and the equipment maintenance/replacement costs that wouldresult from participating in various combinations of the IBDR programsand PBDR programs. Controller 506 may weigh the benefits ofparticipation against the costs of participation to determine an optimalcombination of programs in which to participate. Advantageously, thisallows controller 506 to determine an optimal set of control decisionsthat maximize the overall value of operating energy storage system 500.

In some instances, controller 506 may determine that it would bebeneficial to participate in an IBDR program when the revenue generationpotential is high and/or the costs of participating are low. Forexample, controller 506 may receive notice of a synchronous reserveevent from an IBDR program which requires energy storage system 500 toshed a predetermined amount of power. Controller 506 may determine thatit is optimal to participate in the IBDR program if cold thermal energystorage 532 has enough capacity to provide cooling for building 502while the load on chiller subplant 522 is reduced in order to shed thepredetermined amount of power.

In other instances, controller 506 may determine that it would not bebeneficial to participate in an IBDR program when the resources requiredto participate are better allocated elsewhere. For example, if building502 is close to setting a new peak demand that would greatly increasethe PBDR costs, controller 506 may determine that only a small portionof the electrical energy stored in electrical energy storage 533 will besold to energy purchasers 504 in order to participate in a frequencyresponse market. Controller 506 may determine that the remainder of theelectrical energy will be used to power chiller subplant 522 to preventa new peak demand from being set.

In some embodiments, energy storage system 500 and controller includesome or all of the components and/or features described in U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/247,875 filed Aug. 25, 2016, U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/247,879 filed Aug. 25, 2016, and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 15/247,881 filed Aug. 25, 2016. The entiredisclosure of each of these patent applications is incorporated byreference herein.

Energy Cost Optimization System

Referring now to FIG. 5B, a block diagram of an energy cost optimizationsystem 550 is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. Energy costoptimization system 550 is shown to include many of the same componentsas energy storage system 500 (described with reference to FIG. 5A) withthe exception of storage subplants 530. System 550 is an example of asystem without thermal or electrical energy storage in which the peakload contribution cost optimization techniques can be implemented.

Energy cost optimization system 550 is shown to include a building 502.Building 502 may be the same or similar to buildings 116, as describedwith reference to FIG. 1. For example, building 502 may be equipped witha HVAC system and/or a building management system that operates tocontrol conditions within building 502. In some embodiments, building502 includes multiple buildings (i.e., a campus) served by energy costoptimization system 550. Building 502 may demand various resourcesincluding, for example, hot thermal energy (e.g., hot water), coldthermal energy (e.g., cold water), and/or electrical energy. Theresources may be demanded by equipment or subsystems within building 502or by external systems that provide services for building 502 (e.g.,heating, cooling, air circulation, lighting, electricity, etc.). Energycost optimization system 550 operates to satisfy the resource demandassociated with building 502.

Energy cost optimization system 550 is shown to include a plurality ofutilities 510. Utilities 510 may provide system 550 with resources suchas electricity, water, natural gas, or any other resource that can beused by system 550 to satisfy the demand of building 502. For example,utilities 510 are shown to include an electric utility 511, a waterutility 512, a natural gas utility 513, and utility M 514, where M isthe total number of utilities 510. In some embodiments, utilities 510are commodity suppliers from which resources and other types ofcommodities can be purchased. Resources purchased from utilities 510 canbe used by generator subplants 520 to produce generated resources (e.g.,hot water, cold water, electricity, steam, etc.) or provided directly tobuilding 502. For example, utilities 510 are shown providing electricitydirectly to building 502.

Energy cost optimization system 550 is shown to include a plurality ofgenerator subplants 520. Generator subplants 520 are shown to include aheater subplant 521, a chiller subplant 522, a heat recovery chillersubplant 523, a steam subplant 524, an electricity subplant 525, andsubplant N, where N is the total number of generator subplants 520.Generator subplants 520 may be configured to convert one or more inputresources into one or more output resources by operation of theequipment within generator subplants 520. For example, heater subplant521 may be configured to generate hot thermal energy (e.g., hot water)by heating water using electricity or natural gas. Chiller subplant 522may be configured to generate cold thermal energy (e.g., cold water) bychilling water using electricity. Heat recovery chiller subplant 523 maybe configured to generate hot thermal energy and cold thermal energy byremoving heat from one water supply and adding the heat to another watersupply. Steam subplant 524 may be configured to generate steam byboiling water using electricity or natural gas. Electricity subplant 525may be configured to generate electricity using mechanical generators(e.g., a steam turbine, a gas-powered generator, etc.) or other types ofelectricity-generating equipment (e.g., photovoltaic equipment,hydroelectric equipment, etc.).

The input resources used by generator subplants 520 may be provided byutilities 510 and/or generated by other generator subplants 520. Forexample, steam subplant 524 may produce steam as an output resource.Electricity subplant 525 may include a steam turbine that uses the steamgenerated by steam subplant 524 as an input resource to generateelectricity. The output resources produced by generator subplants 520may be provided to building 502, sold to energy purchasers 504, and/orused by other generator subplants 520. For example, the electricitygenerated by electricity subplant 525 may be used by chiller subplant522 to generate cold thermal energy, provided to building 502, and/orsold to energy purchasers 504.

Still referring to FIG. 5B, energy cost optimization system 550 is shownto include a controller 552. Controller 552 may be configured to controlthe distribution, production, and usage of resources in system 550. Insome embodiments, controller 552 performs an optimization processdetermine an optimal set of control decisions for each time step withinan optimization period. The control decisions may include, for example,an optimal amount of each resource to purchase from utilities 510, anoptimal amount of each resource to produce or convert using generatorsubplants 520, an optimal amount of each resource to sell to energypurchasers 504, and/or an optimal amount of each resource to provide tobuilding 502. In some embodiments, the control decisions include anoptimal amount of each input resource and output resource for each ofgenerator subplants 520.

Controller 552 may be configured to maximize the economic value ofoperating energy cost optimization system 550 over the duration of theoptimization period. The economic value may be defined by a valuefunction that expresses economic value as a function of the controldecisions made by controller 552. The value function may account for thecost of resources purchased from utilities 510, revenue generated byselling resources to energy purchasers 504, and the cost of operatingsystem 550. In some embodiments, the cost of operating system 550includes a cost of excessive equipment start/stops during theoptimization period.

Each of subplants 520 may include equipment that can be controlled bycontroller 552 to optimize the performance of system 550. Subplantequipment may include, for example, heating devices, chillers, heatrecovery heat exchangers, cooling towers, pumps, valves, and/or otherdevices of subplants 520. Individual devices of generator subplants 520can be turned on or off to adjust the resource production of eachgenerator subplant. In some embodiments, individual devices of generatorsubplants 520 can be operated at variable capacities (e.g., operating achiller at 10% capacity or 60% capacity) according to an operatingsetpoint received from controller 552.

In some embodiments, one or more of subplants 520 includes a subplantlevel controller configured to control the equipment of thecorresponding subplant. For example, controller 552 may determine anon/off configuration and global operating setpoints for the subplantequipment. In response to the on/off configuration and received globaloperating setpoints, the subplant controllers may turn individualdevices of their respective equipment on or off, and implement specificoperating setpoints (e.g., damper position, vane position, fan speed,pump speed, etc.) to reach or maintain the global operating setpoints.

In some embodiments, energy cost optimization system 550 and controller552 include some or all of the components and/or features described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/247,875 filed Aug. 25, 2016, U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/247,879 filed Aug. 25, 2016, and U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/247,881 filed Aug. 25, 2016. The entiredisclosure of each of these patent applications is incorporated byreference herein.

Energy Storage Controller

Referring now to FIG. 6A, a block diagram illustrating energy storagecontroller 506 in greater detail is shown, according to an exemplaryembodiment. Energy storage controller 506 is shown providing controldecisions to a building management system (BMS) 606. In someembodiments, BMS 606 is the same or similar the BMS described withreference to FIG. 1. The control decisions provided to BMS 606 mayinclude resource purchase amounts for utilities 510, setpoints forgenerator subplants 520, and/or charge/discharge rates for storagesubplants 530.

BMS 606 may be configured to monitor conditions within a controlledbuilding or building zone. For example, BMS 606 may receive input fromvarious sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, humidity sensors, airflowsensors, voltage sensors, etc.) distributed throughout the building andmay report building conditions to energy storage controller 506.Building conditions may include, for example, a temperature of thebuilding or a zone of the building, a power consumption (e.g., electricload) of the building, a state of one or more actuators configured toaffect a controlled state within the building, or other types ofinformation relating to the controlled building. BMS 606 may operatesubplants 520-530 to affect the monitored conditions within the buildingand to serve the thermal energy loads of the building.

BMS 606 may receive control signals from energy storage controller 506specifying on/off states, charge/discharge rates, and/or setpoints forthe subplant equipment. BMS 606 may control the equipment (e.g., viaactuators, power relays, etc.) in accordance with the control signalsprovided by energy storage controller 506. For example, BMS 606 mayoperate the equipment using closed loop control to achieve the setpointsspecified by energy storage controller 506. In various embodiments, BMS606 may be combined with energy storage controller 506 or may be part ofa separate building management system. According to an exemplaryembodiment, BMS 606 is a METASYS® brand building management system, assold by Johnson Controls, Inc.

Energy storage controller 506 may monitor the status of the controlledbuilding using information received from BMS 606. Energy storagecontroller 506 may be configured to predict the thermal energy loads(e.g., heating loads, cooling loads, etc.) of the building for pluralityof time steps in an optimization period (e.g., using weather forecastsfrom a weather service 604). Energy storage controller 506 may alsopredict the revenue generation potential of IBDR programs using anincentive event history (e.g., past clearing prices, mileage ratios,event probabilities, etc.) from incentive programs 602. Energy storagecontroller 506 may generate control decisions that optimize the economicvalue of operating energy storage system 500 over the duration of theoptimization period subject to constraints on the optimization process(e.g., energy balance constraints, load satisfaction constraints, etc.).The optimization process performed by energy storage controller 506 isdescribed in greater detail below.

According to an exemplary embodiment, energy storage controller 506 isintegrated within a single computer (e.g., one server, one housing,etc.). In various other exemplary embodiments, energy storage controller506 can be distributed across multiple servers or computers (e.g., thatcan exist in distributed locations). In another exemplary embodiment,energy storage controller 506 may integrated with a smart buildingmanager that manages multiple building systems and/or combined with BMS606.

Energy storage controller 506 is shown to include a communicationsinterface 636 and a processing circuit 607. Communications interface 636may include wired or wireless interfaces (e.g., jacks, antennas,transmitters, receivers, transceivers, wire terminals, etc.) forconducting data communications with various systems, devices, ornetworks. For example, communications interface 636 may include anEthernet card and port for sending and receiving data via anEthernet-based communications network and/or a WiFi transceiver forcommunicating via a wireless communications network. Communicationsinterface 636 may be configured to communicate via local area networksor wide area networks (e.g., the Internet, a building WAN, etc.) and mayuse a variety of communications protocols (e.g., BACnet, IP, LON, etc.).

Communications interface 636 may be a network interface configured tofacilitate electronic data communications between energy storagecontroller 506 and various external systems or devices (e.g., BMS 606,subplants 520-530, utilities 510, etc.). For example, energy storagecontroller 506 may receive information from BMS 606 indicating one ormore measured states of the controlled building (e.g., temperature,humidity, electric loads, etc.) and one or more states of subplants520-530 (e.g., equipment status, power consumption, equipmentavailability, etc.). Communications interface 636 may receive inputsfrom BMS 606 and/or subplants 520-530 and may provide operatingparameters (e.g., on/off decisions, setpoints, etc.) to subplants520-530 via BMS 606. The operating parameters may cause subplants520-530 to activate, deactivate, or adjust a setpoint for variousdevices thereof.

Still referring to FIG. 6A, processing circuit 607 is shown to include aprocessor 608 and memory 610. Processor 608 may be a general purpose orspecific purpose processor, an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC), one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), a group ofprocessing components, or other suitable processing components.Processor 608 may be configured to execute computer code or instructionsstored in memory 610 or received from other computer readable media(e.g., CDROM, network storage, a remote server, etc.).

Memory 610 may include one or more devices (e.g., memory units, memorydevices, storage devices, etc.) for storing data and/or computer codefor completing and/or facilitating the various processes described inthe present disclosure. Memory 610 may include random access memory(RAM), read-only memory (ROM), hard drive storage, temporary storage,non-volatile memory, flash memory, optical memory, or any other suitablememory for storing software objects and/or computer instructions. Memory610 may include database components, object code components, scriptcomponents, or any other type of information structure for supportingthe various activities and information structures described in thepresent disclosure. Memory 610 may be communicably connected toprocessor 608 via processing circuit 607 and may include computer codefor executing (e.g., by processor 608) one or more processes describedherein.

Memory 610 is shown to include a building status monitor 624. Energystorage controller 506 may receive data regarding the overall buildingor building space to be heated or cooled by system 500 via buildingstatus monitor 624. In an exemplary embodiment, building status monitor624 may include a graphical user interface component configured toprovide graphical user interfaces to a user for selecting buildingrequirements (e.g., overall temperature parameters, selecting schedulesfor the building, selecting different temperature levels for differentbuilding zones, etc.).

Energy storage controller 506 may determine on/off configurations andoperating setpoints to satisfy the building requirements received frombuilding status monitor 624. In some embodiments, building statusmonitor 624 receives, collects, stores, and/or transmits cooling loadrequirements, building temperature setpoints, occupancy data, weatherdata, energy data, schedule data, and other building parameters. In someembodiments, building status monitor 624 stores data regarding energycosts, such as pricing information available from utilities 510 (energycharge, demand charge, etc.).

Still referring to FIG. 6A, memory 610 is shown to include a load/ratepredictor 622. Load/rate predictor 622 may be configured to predict thethermal energy loads (

_(k)) of the building or campus for each time step k (e.g., k=1 . . . n)of an optimization period. Load/rate predictor 622 is shown receivingweather forecasts from a weather service 604. In some embodiments,load/rate predictor 622 predicts the thermal energy loads

_(k) as a function of the weather forecasts. In some embodiments,load/rate predictor 622 uses feedback from BMS 606 to predict loads

_(k). Feedback from BMS 606 may include various types of sensory inputs(e.g., temperature, flow, humidity, enthalpy, etc.) or other datarelating to the controlled building (e.g., inputs from a HVAC system, alighting control system, a security system, a water system, etc.).

In some embodiments, load/rate predictor 622 receives a measuredelectric load and/or previous measured load data from BMS 606 (e.g., viabuilding status monitor 624). Load/rate predictor 622 may predict loads

_(k) as a function of a given weather forecast ({circumflex over(ϕ)}_(w)), a day type (clay), the time of day (t), and previous measuredload data (Y_(k−1)). Such a relationship is expressed in the followingequation:

_(k) =f({circumflex over (ϕ)}_(w),day,t|Y _(k−1))

In some embodiments, load/rate predictor 622 uses a deterministic plusstochastic model trained from historical load data to predict loads

_(k). Load/rate predictor 622 may use any of a variety of predictionmethods to predict loads

_(k) (e.g., linear regression for the deterministic portion and an ARmodel for the stochastic portion). Load/rate predictor 622 may predictone or more different types of loads for the building or campus. Forexample, load/rate predictor 622 may predict a hot water load

_(Hot,k) and a cold water load

_(Cold,k) for each time step k within the prediction window. In someembodiments, load/rate predictor 622 makes load/rate predictions usingthe techniques described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/717,593.

Load/rate predictor 622 is shown receiving utility rates from utilities510. Utility rates may indicate a cost or price per unit of a resource(e.g., electricity, natural gas, water, etc.) provided by utilities 510at each time step k in the prediction window. In some embodiments, theutility rates are time-variable rates. For example, the price ofelectricity may be higher at certain times of day or days of the week(e.g., during high demand periods) and lower at other times of day ordays of the week (e.g., during low demand periods). The utility ratesmay define various time periods and a cost per unit of a resource duringeach time period. Utility rates may be actual rates received fromutilities 510 or predicted utility rates estimated by load/ratepredictor 622.

In some embodiments, the utility rates include demand charges for one ormore resources provided by utilities 510. A demand charge may define aseparate cost imposed by utilities 510 based on the maximum usage of aparticular resource (e.g., maximum energy consumption) during a demandcharge period. The utility rates may define various demand chargeperiods and one or more demand charges associated with each demandcharge period. In some instances, demand charge periods may overlappartially or completely with each other and/or with the predictionwindow. Advantageously, demand response optimizer 630 may be configuredto account for demand charges in the high level optimization processperformed by high level optimizer 632. Utilities 510 may be defined bytime-variable (e.g., hourly) prices, a maximum service level (e.g., amaximum rate of consumption allowed by the physical infrastructure or bycontract) and, in the case of electricity, a demand charge or a chargefor the peak rate of consumption within a certain period. Load/ratepredictor 622 may store the predicted loads

_(k) and the utility rates in memory 610 and/or provide the predictedloads

_(k) and the utility rates to demand response optimizer 630.

Still referring to FIG. 6A, memory 610 is shown to include an incentiveestimator 620. Incentive estimator 620 may be configured to estimate therevenue generation potential of participating in various incentive-baseddemand response (IBDR) programs. In some embodiments, incentiveestimator 620 receives an incentive event history from incentiveprograms 602. The incentive event history may include a history of pastIBDR events from incentive programs 602. An IBDR event may include aninvitation from incentive programs 602 to participate in an IBDR programin exchange for a monetary incentive. The incentive event history mayindicate the times at which the past IBDR events occurred and attributesdescribing the IBDR events (e.g., clearing prices, mileage ratios,participation requirements, etc.). Incentive estimator 620 may use theincentive event history to estimate IBDR event probabilities during theoptimization period.

Incentive estimator 620 is shown providing incentive predictions todemand response optimizer 630. The incentive predictions may include theestimated IBDR probabilities, estimated participation requirements, anestimated amount of revenue from participating in the estimated IBDRevents, and/or any other attributes of the predicted IBDR events. Demandresponse optimizer 630 may use the incentive predictions along with thepredicted loads

_(k) and utility rates from load/rate predictor 622 to determine anoptimal set of control decisions for each time step within theoptimization period.

Still referring to FIG. 6A, memory 610 is shown to include a demandresponse optimizer 630. Demand response optimizer 630 may perform acascaded optimization process to optimize the performance of energystorage system 500. For example, demand response optimizer 630 is shownto include a high level optimizer 632 and a low level optimizer 634.High level optimizer 632 may control an outer (e.g., subplant level)loop of the cascaded optimization. High level optimizer 632 maydetermine an optimal set of control decisions for each time step in theprediction window in order to optimize (e.g., maximize) the value ofoperating energy storage system 500. Control decisions made by highlevel optimizer 632 may include, for example, load setpoints for each ofgenerator subplants 520, charge/discharge rates for each of storagesubplants 530, resource purchase amounts for each type of resourcepurchased from utilities 510, and/or an amount of each resource sold toenergy purchasers 504. In other words, the control decisions may defineresource allocation at each time step. The control decisions made byhigh level optimizer 632 are based on the statistical estimates ofincentive event probabilities and revenue generation potential forvarious IBDR events as well as the load and rate predictions.

Low level optimizer 634 may control an inner (e.g., equipment level)loop of the cascaded optimization. Low level optimizer 634 may determinehow to best run each subplant at the load setpoint determined by highlevel optimizer 632. For example, low level optimizer 634 may determineon/off states and/or operating setpoints for various devices of thesubplant equipment in order to optimize (e.g., minimize) the energyconsumption of each subplant while meeting the resource allocationsetpoint for the subplant. In some embodiments, low level optimizer 634receives actual incentive events from incentive programs 602. Low leveloptimizer 634 may determine whether to participate in the incentiveevents based on the resource allocation set by high level optimizer 632.For example, if insufficient resources have been allocated to aparticular IBDR program by high level optimizer 632 or if the allocatedresources have already been used, low level optimizer 634 may determinethat energy storage system 500 will not participate in the IBDR programand may ignore the IBDR event. However, if the required resources havebeen allocated to the IBDR program and are available in storagesubplants 530, low level optimizer 634 may determine that system 500will participate in the IBDR program in response to the IBDR event. Thecascaded optimization process performed by demand response optimizer 630is described in greater detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/247,885.

Still referring to FIG. 6A, memory 610 is shown to include a subplantcontrol module 628. Subplant control module 628 may store historicaldata regarding past operating statuses, past operating setpoints, andinstructions for calculating and/or implementing control parameters forsubplants 520-530. Subplant control module 628 may also receive, store,and/or transmit data regarding the conditions of individual devices ofthe subplant equipment, such as operating efficiency, equipmentdegradation, a date since last service, a lifespan parameter, acondition grade, or other device-specific data. Subplant control module628 may receive data from subplants 520-530 and/or BMS 606 viacommunications interface 636. Subplant control module 628 may alsoreceive and store on/off statuses and operating setpoints from low leveloptimizer 634.

Data and processing results from demand response optimizer 630, subplantcontrol module 628, or other modules of energy storage controller 506may be accessed by (or pushed to) monitoring and reporting applications626. Monitoring and reporting applications 626 may be configured togenerate real time “system health” dashboards that can be viewed andnavigated by a user (e.g., a system engineer). For example, monitoringand reporting applications 626 may include a web-based monitoringapplication with several graphical user interface (GUI) elements (e.g.,widgets, dashboard controls, windows, etc.) for displaying keyperformance indicators (KPI) or other information to users of a GUI. Inaddition, the GUI elements may summarize relative energy use andintensity across energy storage systems in different buildings (real ormodeled), different campuses, or the like. Other GUI elements or reportsmay be generated and shown based on available data that allow users toassess performance across one or more energy storage systems from onescreen. The user interface or report (or underlying data engine) may beconfigured to aggregate and categorize operating conditions by building,building type, equipment type, and the like. The GUI elements mayinclude charts or histograms that allow the user to visually analyze theoperating parameters and power consumption for the devices of the energystorage system.

Still referring to FIG. 6A, energy storage controller 506 may includeone or more GUI servers, web services 612, or GUI engines 614 to supportmonitoring and reporting applications 626. In various embodiments,applications 626, web services 612, and GUI engine 614 may be providedas separate components outside of energy storage controller 506 (e.g.,as part of a smart building manager). Energy storage controller 506 maybe configured to maintain detailed historical databases (e.g.,relational databases, XML databases, etc.) of relevant data and includescomputer code modules that continuously, frequently, or infrequentlyquery, aggregate, transform, search, or otherwise process the datamaintained in the detailed databases. Energy storage controller 506 maybe configured to provide the results of any such processing to otherdatabases, tables, XML files, or other data structures for furtherquerying, calculation, or access by, for example, external monitoringand reporting applications.

Energy storage controller 506 is shown to include configuration tools616. Configuration tools 616 can allow a user to define (e.g., viagraphical user interfaces, via prompt-driven “wizards,” etc.) how energystorage controller 506 should react to changing conditions in the energystorage subsystems. In an exemplary embodiment, configuration tools 616allow a user to build and store condition-response scenarios that cancross multiple energy storage system devices, multiple building systems,and multiple enterprise control applications (e.g., work ordermanagement system applications, entity resource planning applications,etc.). For example, configuration tools 616 can provide the user withthe ability to combine data (e.g., from subsystems, from eventhistories) using a variety of conditional logic. In varying exemplaryembodiments, the conditional logic can range from simple logicaloperators between conditions (e.g., AND, OR, XOR, etc.) to pseudo-codeconstructs or complex programming language functions (allowing for morecomplex interactions, conditional statements, loops, etc.).Configuration tools 616 can present user interfaces for building suchconditional logic. The user interfaces may allow users to definepolicies and responses graphically. In some embodiments, the userinterfaces may allow a user to select a pre-stored or pre-constructedpolicy and adapt it or enable it for use with their system.

Energy Cost Optimization Controller

Referring now to FIG. 6B, a block diagram illustrating controller 552 ingreater detail is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment.Controller 552 is shown providing control decisions to a buildingmanagement system (BMS) 606. In some embodiments, BMS 606 is the same orsimilar the BMS described with reference to FIG. 1. The controldecisions provided to BMS 606 may include resource purchase amounts forutilities 510 and/or setpoints for generator subplants 520.

BMS 606 may be configured to monitor conditions within a controlledbuilding or building zone. For example, BMS 606 may receive input fromvarious sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, humidity sensors, airflowsensors, voltage sensors, etc.) distributed throughout the building andmay report building conditions to controller 552. Building conditionsmay include, for example, a temperature of the building or a zone of thebuilding, a power consumption (e.g., electric load) of the building, astate of one or more actuators configured to affect a controlled statewithin the building, or other types of information relating to thecontrolled building. BMS 606 may operate subplants 520 to affect themonitored conditions within the building and to serve the thermal energyloads of the building.

BMS 606 may receive control signals from controller 552 specifyingon/off states and/or setpoints for the subplant equipment. BMS 606 maycontrol the equipment (e.g., via actuators, power relays, etc.) inaccordance with the control signals provided by controller 552. Forexample, BMS 606 may operate the equipment using closed loop control toachieve the setpoints specified by energy storage controller 552. Invarious embodiments, BMS 606 may be combined with controller 552 or maybe part of a separate building management system. According to anexemplary embodiment, BMS 606 is a METASYS® brand building managementsystem, as sold by Johnson Controls, Inc.

Controller 552 may monitor the status of the controlled building usinginformation received from BMS 606. Controller 552 may be configured topredict the thermal energy loads (e.g., heating loads, cooling loads,etc.) of the building for plurality of time steps in an optimizationperiod (e.g., using weather forecasts from a weather service 604).Controller 552 may generate control decisions that optimize the economicvalue of operating system 550 over the duration of the optimizationperiod subject to constraints on the optimization process (e.g., energybalance constraints, load satisfaction constraints, etc.). Theoptimization process performed by controller 552 is described in greaterdetail below.

Controller 552 is shown to include a communications interface 636 and aprocessing circuit 607 having a processor 608 and memory 610. Thesecomponents may be the same as described with reference to FIG. 6A. Forexample, controller 552 is shown to include demand response optimizer630. Demand response optimizer 630 may perform a cascaded optimizationprocess to optimize the performance of system 550. For example, demandresponse optimizer 630 is shown to include a high level optimizer 632and a low level optimizer 634. High level optimizer 632 may control anouter (e.g., subplant level) loop of the cascaded optimization. Highlevel optimizer 632 may determine an optimal set of control decisionsfor each time step in the prediction window in order to optimize (e.g.,maximize) the value of operating energy storage system 500. Controldecisions made by high level optimizer 632 may include, for example,load setpoints for each of generator subplants 520, resource purchaseamounts for each type of resource purchased from utilities 510, and/oran amount of each resource sold to energy purchasers 504. In otherwords, the control decisions may define resource allocation at each timestep.

Low level optimizer 634 may control an inner (e.g., equipment level)loop of the cascaded optimization. Low level optimizer 634 may determinehow to best run each subplant at the load setpoint determined by highlevel optimizer 632. For example, low level optimizer 634 may determineon/off states and/or operating setpoints for various devices of thesubplant equipment in order to optimize (e.g., minimize) the energyconsumption of each subplant while meeting the resource allocationsetpoint for the subplant. The cascaded optimization process performedby demand response optimizer 630 is described in greater detail in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/247,885. These and other components ofcontroller 552 may be the same as previously described with reference toFIG. 6A.

Planning Tool

Referring now to FIG. 7, a block diagram of a planning system 700 isshown, according to an exemplary embodiment. Planning system 700 may beconfigured to use demand response optimizer 630 as part of a planningtool 702 to simulate the operation of a central plant over apredetermined time period (e.g., a day, a month, a week, a year, etc.)for planning, budgeting, and/or design considerations. When implementedin planning tool 702, demand response optimizer 630 may operate in asimilar manner as described with reference to FIGS. 6A-6B. For example,demand response optimizer 630 may use building loads and utility ratesto determine an optimal resource allocation to minimize cost over asimulation period. However, planning tool 702 may not be responsible forreal-time control of a building management system or central plant.

Planning tool 702 can be configured to determine the benefits ofinvesting in a battery asset and the financial metrics associated withthe investment. Such financial metrics can include, for example, theinternal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV), and/or simplepayback period (SPP). Planning tool 702 can also assist a user indetermining the size of the battery which yields optimal financialmetrics such as maximum NPV or a minimum SPP. In some embodiments,planning tool 702 allows a user to specify a battery size andautomatically determines the benefits of the battery asset fromparticipating in selected IBDR programs while performing PBDR, asdescribed with reference to FIG. 5A. In some embodiments, planning tool702 is configured to determine the battery size that minimizes SPP giventhe IBDR programs selected and the requirement of performing PBDR. Insome embodiments, planning tool 702 is configured to determine thebattery size that maximizes NPV given the IBDR programs selected and therequirement of performing PBDR.

In planning tool 702, high level optimizer 632 may receive planned loadsand utility rates for the entire simulation period. The planned loadsand utility rates may be defined by input received from a user via aclient device 722 (e.g., user-defined, user selected, etc.) and/orretrieved from a plan information database 726. High level optimizer 632uses the planned loads and utility rates in conjunction with subplantcurves from low level optimizer 634 to determine an optimal resourceallocation (i.e., an optimal dispatch schedule) for a portion of thesimulation period.

The portion of the simulation period over which high level optimizer 632optimizes the resource allocation may be defined by a prediction windowending at a time horizon. With each iteration of the optimization, theprediction window is shifted forward and the portion of the dispatchschedule no longer in the prediction window is accepted (e.g., stored oroutput as results of the simulation). Load and rate predictions may bepredefined for the entire simulation and may not be subject toadjustments in each iteration. However, shifting the prediction windowforward in time may introduce additional plan information (e.g., plannedloads and/or utility rates) for the newly-added time slice at the end ofthe prediction window. The new plan information may not have asignificant effect on the optimal dispatch schedule since only a smallportion of the prediction window changes with each iteration.

In some embodiments, high level optimizer 632 requests all of thesubplant curves used in the simulation from low level optimizer 634 atthe beginning of the simulation. Since the planned loads andenvironmental conditions are known for the entire simulation period,high level optimizer 632 may retrieve all of the relevant subplantcurves at the beginning of the simulation. In some embodiments, lowlevel optimizer 634 generates functions that map subplant production toequipment level production and resource use when the subplant curves areprovided to high level optimizer 632. These subplant to equipmentfunctions may be used to calculate the individual equipment productionand resource use (e.g., in a post-processing module) based on theresults of the simulation.

Still referring to FIG. 7, planning tool 702 is shown to include acommunications interface 704 and a processing circuit 706.Communications interface 704 may include wired or wireless interfaces(e.g., jacks, antennas, transmitters, receivers, transceivers, wireterminals, etc.) for conducting data communications with varioussystems, devices, or networks. For example, communications interface 704may include an Ethernet card and port for sending and receiving data viaan Ethernet-based communications network and/or a WiFi transceiver forcommunicating via a wireless communications network. Communicationsinterface 704 may be configured to communicate via local area networksor wide area networks (e.g., the Internet, a building WAN, etc.) and mayuse a variety of communications protocols (e.g., BACnet, IP, LON, etc.).

Communications interface 704 may be a network interface configured tofacilitate electronic data communications between planning tool 702 andvarious external systems or devices (e.g., client device 722, resultsdatabase 728, plan information database 726, etc.). For example,planning tool 702 may receive planned loads and utility rates fromclient device 722 and/or plan information database 726 viacommunications interface 704. Planning tool 702 may use communicationsinterface 704 to output results of the simulation to client device 722and/or to store the results in results database 728.

Still referring to FIG. 7, processing circuit 706 is shown to include aprocessor 710 and memory 712. Processor 710 may be a general purpose orspecific purpose processor, an application specific integrated circuit(ASIC), one or more field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), a group ofprocessing components, or other suitable processing components.Processor 710 may be configured to execute computer code or instructionsstored in memory 712 or received from other computer readable media(e.g., CDROM, network storage, a remote server, etc.).

Memory 712 may include one or more devices (e.g., memory units, memorydevices, storage devices, etc.) for storing data and/or computer codefor completing and/or facilitating the various processes described inthe present disclosure. Memory 712 may include random access memory(RAM), read-only memory (ROM), hard drive storage, temporary storage,non-volatile memory, flash memory, optical memory, or any other suitablememory for storing software objects and/or computer instructions. Memory712 may include database components, object code components, scriptcomponents, or any other type of information structure for supportingthe various activities and information structures described in thepresent disclosure. Memory 712 may be communicably connected toprocessor 710 via processing circuit 706 and may include computer codefor executing (e.g., by processor 710) one or more processes describedherein.

Still referring to FIG. 7, memory 712 is shown to include a GUI engine716, web services 714, and configuration tools 718. In an exemplaryembodiment, GUI engine 716 includes a graphical user interface componentconfigured to provide graphical user interfaces to a user for selectingor defining plan information for the simulation (e.g., planned loads,utility rates, environmental conditions, etc.). Web services 714 mayallow a user to interact with planning tool 702 via a web portal and/orfrom a remote system or device (e.g., an enterprise controlapplication).

Configuration tools 718 can allow a user to define (e.g., via graphicaluser interfaces, via prompt-driven “wizards,” etc.) various parametersof the simulation such as the number and type of subplants, the deviceswithin each subplant, the subplant curves, device-specific efficiencycurves, the duration of the simulation, the duration of the predictionwindow, the duration of each time step, and/or various other types ofplan information related to the simulation. Configuration tools 718 canpresent user interfaces for building the simulation. The user interfacesmay allow users to define simulation parameters graphically. In someembodiments, the user interfaces allow a user to select a pre-stored orpre-constructed simulated plant and/or plan information (e.g., from planinformation database 726) and adapt it or enable it for use in thesimulation.

Still referring to FIG. 7, memory 712 is shown to include demandresponse optimizer 630. Demand response optimizer 630 may use theplanned loads and utility rates to determine an optimal resourceallocation over a prediction window. The operation of demand responseoptimizer 630 may be the same or similar as previously described withreference to FIGS. 6-8. With each iteration of the optimization process,demand response optimizer 630 may shift the prediction window forwardand apply the optimal resource allocation for the portion of thesimulation period no longer in the prediction window. Demand responseoptimizer 630 may use the new plan information at the end of theprediction window to perform the next iteration of the optimizationprocess. Demand response optimizer 630 may output the applied resourceallocation to reporting applications 730 for presentation to a clientdevice 722 (e.g., via user interface 724) or storage in results database728.

Still referring to FIG. 7, memory 712 is shown to include reportingapplications 730. Reporting applications 730 may receive the optimizedresource allocations from demand response optimizer 630 and, in someembodiments, costs associated with the optimized resource allocations.Reporting applications 730 may include a web-based reporting applicationwith several graphical user interface (GUI) elements (e.g., widgets,dashboard controls, windows, etc.) for displaying key performanceindicators (KPI) or other information to users of a GUI. In addition,the GUI elements may summarize relative energy use and intensity acrossvarious plants, subplants, or the like. Other GUI elements or reportsmay be generated and shown based on available data that allow users toassess the results of the simulation. The user interface or report (orunderlying data engine) may be configured to aggregate and categorizeresource allocation and the costs associated therewith and provide theresults to a user via a GUI. The GUI elements may include charts orhistograms that allow the user to visually analyze the results of thesimulation. An exemplary output that may be generated by reportingapplications 730 is shown in FIG. 8.

Referring now to FIG. 8, several graphs 800 illustrating the operationof planning tool 702 are shown, according to an exemplary embodiment.With each iteration of the optimization process, planning tool 702selects an optimization period (i.e., a portion of the simulationperiod) over which the optimization is performed. For example, planningtool 702 may select optimization period 802 for use in the firstiteration. Once the optimal resource allocation 810 has been determined,planning tool 702 may select a portion 818 of resource allocation 810 tosend to plant dispatch 830. Portion 818 may be the first b time steps ofresource allocation 810. Planning tool 702 may shift the optimizationperiod 802 forward in time, resulting in optimization period 804. Theamount by which the prediction window is shifted may correspond to theduration of time steps b.

Planning tool 702 may repeat the optimization process for optimizationperiod 804 to determine the optimal resource allocation 812. Planningtool 702 may select a portion 820 of resource allocation 812 to send toplant dispatch 830. Portion 820 may be the first b time steps ofresource allocation 812. Planning tool 702 may then shift the predictionwindow forward in time, resulting in optimization period 806. Thisprocess may be repeated for each subsequent optimization period (e.g.,optimization periods 806, 808, etc.) to generate updated resourceallocations (e.g., resource allocations 814, 816, etc.) and to selectportions of each resource allocation (e.g., portions 822, 824) to sendto plant dispatch 830. Plant dispatch 830 includes the first b timesteps 818-824 from each of optimization periods 802-808. Once theoptimal resource allocation is compiled for the entire simulationperiod, the results may be sent to reporting applications 730, resultsdatabase 728, and/or client device 722, as described with reference toFIG. 7.

Resource Allocation Optimization

Referring now to FIG. 9, a block diagram illustrating high leveloptimizer 632 in greater detail is shown, according to an exemplaryembodiment. In some embodiments, high level optimizer 632 may beimplemented as a component of energy storage controller 506, asdescribed with reference to FIGS. 5A and 6A. In other embodiments, highlevel optimizer 632 may be implemented as a component of controller 552,as described with reference to FIGS. 5B and 6B. In other embodiments,high level optimizer 632 may be implemented as a component of planningtool 702, as described with reference to FIGS. 7-8.

High level optimizer 632 may receive load and rate predictions fromload/rate predictor 622, incentive predictions from incentive estimator620, and subplant curves from low level optimizer 634. High leveloptimizer 632 may determine an optimal resource allocation across energystorage system 500 as a function of the load and rate predictions, theincentive predictions, and the subplant curves. The optimal resourceallocation may include an amount of each resource purchased fromutilities 510, an amount of each input and output resource of generatorsubplants 520, an amount of each resource stored or withdrawn fromstorage subplants 530, and/or an amount of each resource sold to energypurchasers 504. In some embodiments, the optimal resource allocationmaximizes the economic value of operating energy storage system 500while satisfying the predicted loads for the building or campus.

High level optimizer 632 can be configured to optimize the utilizationof a battery asset, such as battery 108, battery 306, and/or electricalenergy storage subplant 533. A battery asset can be used to participatein IBDR programs which yield revenue and to reduce the cost of energyand the cost incurred from peak load contribution charges. High leveloptimizer 632 can use an optimization algorithm to optimally allocate abattery asset (e.g., by optimally charging and discharging the battery)to maximize its total value. In a planning tool framework, high leveloptimizer 632 can perform the optimization iteratively to determineoptimal battery asset allocation for an entire simulation period (e.g.,an entire year), as described with reference to FIG. 8. The optimizationprocess can be expanded to include economic load demand response (ELDR)and can account for peak load contribution charges. High level optimizer632 can allocate the battery asset at each time step (e.g., each hour)over a given horizon such that energy and demand costs are minimized andfrequency regulation (FR) revenue maximized. These and other features ofhigh level optimizer 632 are described in detail below.

Cost Function

Still referring to FIG. 9, high level optimizer 632 is shown to includea cost function module 902. Cost function module 902 can generate a costfunction or objective function which represents the total operating costof a system over a time horizon (e.g., one month, one year, one day,etc.). The system can include any of the systems previously described(e.g., frequency response optimization system 100, photovoltaic energysystem 300, energy storage system 500, planning system 700, etc.) or anyother system in which high level optimizer 632 is implemented. In someembodiments, the cost function can be expressed generically using thefollowing equation:

$\underset{x}{\arg \mspace{14mu} \min}\mspace{14mu} {J(x)}$

where J(x) is defined as follows:

${J(x)} = {{\sum\limits_{sources}{\sum\limits_{horizon}{{cost}\left( {{purchase}_{{resource},{time}},{time}} \right)}}} - {\sum\limits_{incentives}{\sum\limits_{horizon}{{revenue}({ReservationAmount})}}}}$

The first term in the previous equation represents the total cost of allresources purchased over the optimization horizon. Resources caninclude, for example, water, electricity, natural gas, or other types ofresources purchased from a utility or other outside entity. The secondterm in the equation represents the total revenue generated byparticipating in incentive programs (e.g., IBDR programs) over theoptimization horizon. The revenue may be based on the amount of powerreserved for participating in the incentive programs. Accordingly, thetotal cost function represents the total cost of resources purchasedminus any revenue generated from participating in incentive programs.

High level optimizer 632 can optimize the cost function J(x) subject tothe following constraint, which guarantees the balance between resourcespurchased, produced, discharged, consumed, and requested over theoptimization horizon:

${{{\sum\limits_{sources}{purchase}_{{resource},{time}}} + {\sum\limits_{subplants}{{produce}\left( {x_{{internal},{time}},x_{{external},{time}},v_{{uncontrolled},{time}}} \right)}} - {\sum\limits_{subplants}{{consumes}\left( {x_{{internal},{time}},x_{{external},{time}},v_{{uncontrolled},{time}}} \right)}} + {\sum\limits_{storages}{{discharges}_{resource}\left( {x_{{internal},{time}},x_{{external},{time}}} \right)}} - {\sum\limits_{sinks}{requests}_{resource}}} = {0\mspace{14mu} {\forall{resources}}}},{\forall{{time} \in {horizon}}}$

where x_(internal,time) and x_(external,time) are internal and externaldecision variables and v_(uncontrolled,time) includes uncontrolledvariables.

The first term in the previous equation represents the total amount ofeach resource (e.g., electricity, water, natural gas, etc.) purchasedfrom each source (e.g., utilities 510) over the optimization horizon.The second term represents the total consumption of each resource withinthe system (e.g., by generator subplants 520) over the optimizationhorizon. The third term represents the total amount of each resourcedischarged from storage (e.g., storage subplants 530) over theoptimization horizon. Positive values indicate that the resource isdischarged from storage, whereas negative values indicate that theresource is charged or stored. The fourth term represents the totalamount of each resource requested by various resource sinks (e.g.,building 502, energy purchasers 504, or other resource consumers) overthe optimization horizon. Accordingly, this constraint ensures that thetotal amount of each resource purchased, produced, or discharged fromstorage is equal to the amount of each resource consumed, stored, orprovided to the resource sinks.

In some embodiments, cost function module 902 separates the purchasecost of one or more resources into multiple terms. For example, costfunction module 902 can separate the purchase cost of a resource into afirst term corresponding to the cost per unit of the resource purchased(e.g., $/kWh of electricity, $/liter of water, etc.) and a second termcorresponding to one or more demand charges. A demand charge is aseparate charge on the consumption of a resource which depends on themaximum or peak resource consumption over a given period (i.e., a demandcharge period). Cost function module 902 can express the cost functionusing the following equation:

${J(x)} = {{\sum\limits_{s \in {sources}}\left\lbrack {{\sum\limits_{q \in {demands}_{s}}{w_{{demand},s,q}r_{{demand},s,q}\mspace{14mu} {\max\limits_{i \in {demand}_{s,q}}\mspace{14mu} \left( {purchase}_{s,i} \right)}}} + {\sum\limits_{horizon}{r_{s,i}{purchase}_{s,i}}}} \right\rbrack} - {\sum\limits_{incentives}{\sum\limits_{horizon}{{revenue}({ReservationAmount})}}}}$

where r_(demand,s,q) is the qth demand charge associated with the peakdemand of the resource provided by source s over the demand chargeperiod, w_(demand,s,q) is the weight adjustment of the qth demand chargeassociated with source s, and the max( ) term indicates the maximumamount of the resource purchased from source s at any time step i duringthe demand charge period. The variable r_(s,i) indicates the cost perunit of the resource purchased from source s and the variablepurchase_(s,i) indicates the amount of the resource purchased fromsource s during the ith time step of the optimization period.

In some embodiments, the energy system in which high level optimizer 632is implemented includes a battery asset (e.g., one or more batteries)configured to store and discharge electricity. If the battery asset isthe only type of energy storage, cost function module 902 can simplifythe cost function J(x) to the following equation:

${J(x)} = {{- {\sum\limits_{i = k}^{k + h - 1}\; {r_{e_{i}}P_{{bat}_{i}}}}} - {\sum\limits_{i = k}^{k + h - 1}\; {r_{{FR}_{i}}P_{{FR}_{i}}}} + {\sum\limits_{i = k}^{k + h - 1}\; {r_{s_{i}}{\quad\left| {P_{{bat}_{i}} - P_{{bat}_{i - 1}}} \middle| {{+ w_{d}}r_{d}\mspace{14mu} {\max\limits_{i}\left( {{- P_{{bat}_{i}}} + {eLoad}_{i}} \right)}} \right.}}}}$

where h is the duration of the optimization horizon, P_(bat) _(i) is theamount of power (e.g., kW) discharged from the battery asset during theith time step of the optimization horizon for use in reducing the amountof power purchased from an electric utility, r_(e) _(i) is the price ofelectricity (e.g., $/kWh) at time step i, P_(FR,i) is the battery power(e.g., kW) committed to frequency regulation participation during timestep i, r_(FR) _(i) is the incentive rate (e.g., $/kWh) forparticipating in frequency regulation during time step i, r_(d) is theapplicable demand charge (e.g., $/kWh) associated with the maximumelectricity consumption during the corresponding demand charge period,w_(d) is a weight adjustment of the demand charge over the horizon, andthe max( ) term selects the maximum amount electricity purchased fromthe electric utility (e.g., kW) during any time step i of the applicabledemand charge period.

In the previous expression of the cost function J(x), the first termrepresents the cost savings resulting from the use of battery power tosatisfy the electric demand of the facility relative to the cost whichwould have been incurred if the electricity were purchased from theelectric utility. The second term represents the amount of revenuederived from participating in the frequency regulation program. Thethird term represents a switching penalty imposed for switching thebattery power P_(bat) between consecutive time steps. The fourth termrepresents the demand charge associated with the maximum amount ofelectricity purchased from the electric utility. The amount ofelectricity purchased may be equal to the difference between theelectric load of the facility eLoad_(i) (i.e., the total amount ofelectricity required) at time step i and the amount of power dischargedfrom the battery asset P_(bat) _(i) at time step i. In a planning toolframework, historical data of the electric load eLoad over the horizoncan be provided as a known input. In an operational mode, the electricload eLoad can be predicted for each time step of the optimizationperiod.

Optimization Constraints

Still referring to FIG. 9, high level optimizer 632 is shown to includea power constraints module 904. Power constraints module 904 may beconfigured to impose one or more power constraints on the objectivefunction J(x). In some embodiments, power constraints module 904generates and imposes the following constraints:

P _(bat) _(i) +P _(FR) _(i) ≤P _(eff)

−P _(bat) _(i) +P _(FR) _(i) ≤P _(eff)

P _(bat) _(i) +P _(FR) _(i) ≤eLoad_(i)

where P_(bat) _(i) is the amount of power discharged from the battery attime step i for use in satisfying electric demand and reducing thedemand charge, P_(FR) _(i) is the amount of battery power committed tofrequency regulation at time step i, P_(eff) is the effective poweravailable (e.g., the maximum rate at which the battery can be charged ordischarged), and eLoad_(i) is the total electric demand at time step i.

The first two power constraints ensure that the battery is not chargedor discharged at a rate that exceeds the maximum batterycharge/discharge rate P_(eff). If the system includes photovoltaic (PV)power generation, the effective power available P_(eff) can becalculated as follows:

P _(eff) =P _(rated) −P _(PV FirmingReserve)

where P_(rated) is the rated capacity of the battery andP_(PV FirmingReserve) is the PV firming reserve power. The third powerconstraint ensures that energy stored in the battery is not sold orexported to the energy grid. In some embodiments, power constraintsmodule 904 can remove the third power constraint if selling energy backto the energy grid is a desired feature or behavior of the system.

Still referring to FIG. 9, high level optimizer 632 is shown to includea capacity constraints module 906. Capacity constraints module 906 maybe configured to impose one or more capacity constraints on theobjective function J(x). The capacity constraints may be used to relatethe battery power P_(bat) charged or discharged during each time step tothe capacity and state-of-charge (SOC) of the battery. The capacityconstraints may ensure that the SOC of the battery is maintained withinacceptable lower and upper bounds and that sufficient battery capacityis available for frequency regulation. In some embodiments, the lowerand upper bounds are based on the battery capacity needed to reserve theamount of power committed to frequency regulation P_(FR) _(i) duringeach time step i.

In some embodiments, capacity constraints module 906 generates two setsof capacity constraints. One set of capacity constraints may apply tothe boundary condition at the end of each time step i, whereas the otherset of capacity constraints may apply to the boundary condition at thebeginning of the next time step i+1. For example, if a first amount ofbattery capacity is reserved for frequency regulation during time step iand a second amount of battery capacity is reserved for frequencyregulation during time step i+1, the boundary point between time step iand i+1 may be required to satisfy the capacity constraints for bothtime step i and time step i+1. This ensures that the decisions made forthe power committed to frequency regulation during the current time stepi and the next time step i+1 represent a continuous change in the SOC ofthe battery.

In some embodiments, capacity constraints module 906 generates thefollowing capacity constraints:

$\left\{ {{\begin{matrix}{{C_{a} - {\sum\limits_{n = k}^{i}\; P_{{bat}_{n}}}} \leq {C_{eff} - {C_{FR}P_{{FR}_{i}}}}} \\{{C_{a} - {\sum\limits_{n = k}^{i}\; P_{{bat}_{n}}}} \geq {C_{FR}P_{{FR}_{i}}}}\end{matrix}\mspace{14mu} {\forall i}} = {{k\mspace{14mu} \ldots \mspace{14mu} k} + h - {1\left\{ {{\begin{matrix}{{C_{a} - {\sum\limits_{n = k}^{i}\; P_{{bat}_{n}}}} \leq {C_{eff} - {C_{FR}P_{{FR}_{i + 1}}}}} \\{{C_{a} - {\sum\limits_{n = k}^{i}\; P_{{bat}_{n}}}} \geq {C_{FR}P_{{FR}_{i + 1}}}}\end{matrix}\mspace{14mu} {\forall i}} = {{k\mspace{14mu} \ldots \mspace{14mu} k} + h - 2}} \right.}}} \right.$

where C_(a) is the available battery capacity (e.g., kWh), C_(FR) is thefrequency regulation reserve capacity (e.g., kWh/kW) which translatesthe amount of battery power committed to frequency regulation P_(FR)into an amount of energy needed to be reserved, and C_(eff) is theeffective capacity of the battery.

The first set of constraints ensures that the battery capacity at theend of each time step i (i.e., available capacity C_(a) minus thebattery power discharged through time step i) is maintained between thelower capacity bound C_(FR)P_(FR) _(i) and the upper capacity boundC_(eff)−C_(FR)P_(FR) _(i) for time step i. The lower capacity boundC_(FR)P_(FR) _(i) represents the minimum capacity required to reserveP_(FR) _(i) for frequency regulation during time step i, whereas theupper capacity bound C_(eff)−C_(FR)P_(FR) _(i) represents maximumcapacity required to reserve P_(FR) _(i) for frequency regulation duringtime step i. Similarly, the second set of constraints ensures that thebattery capacity at the end of each time step i (i.e., availablecapacity C_(a) minus the battery power discharged through time step i)is maintained between the lower capacity bound C_(FR)P_(FR) _(i+1) andthe upper capacity bound C_(eff)−C_(FR)P_(FR) _(i+1) for time step i+1.The lower capacity bound C_(FR)P_(FR) _(i+1) represents the minimumcapacity required to reserve P_(FR) _(i+1) for frequency regulationduring time step i+1, whereas the upper capacity boundC_(eff)−C_(FR)P_(FR) _(i+1) represents maximum capacity required toreserve P_(FR) _(i+1) for frequency regulation during time step i+1.

In some embodiments, capacity constraints module 906 calculates theeffective capacity of the battery C_(eff) as a percentage of the ratedcapacity of the battery. For example, if frequency regulation andphotovoltaic power generation are both enabled and the SOC controlmargin is non-zero, capacity constraints module 906 can calculate theeffective capacity of the battery C_(eff) using the following equation:

C _(eff)=(1−C _(FR)−2C _(socCM))C _(rated) −C _(PV FirmingReserve)

where C_(socCM) is the control margin and C_(PV FirmingReserve) is thecapacity reserved for photovoltaic firming.

Still referring to FIG. 9, high level optimizer 632 is shown to includea switching constraints module 908. Switching constraints module 908 maybe configured to impose one or more switching constraints on the costfunction J(x). As previously described, the cost function J(x) mayinclude the following switching term:

$\left. {\sum\limits_{i = k}^{k + h - 1}\; r_{s_{i}}} \middle| {P_{{bat}_{i}} - P_{{bat}_{i - 1}}} \right|$

which functions as a penalty for switching the battery power P_(bat)between consecutive time steps i and i−1. Notably, the switching term isnonlinear as a result of the absolute value function.

Switching constraints module 908 can impose constraints which representthe nonlinear switching term in a linear format. For example, switchingconstraints module 908 can introduce an auxiliary switching variables_(i) and constrain the auxiliary switching variable to be greater thanthe difference between the battery power P_(bat) _(i) at time step i andthe battery power P_(bat) _(i−1) at time step i−1, as shown in thefollowing equations:

s _(i) >P _(bat) _(i) −P _(bat) _(i−1)

s _(i) >P _(bat) _(i−1) −P _(bat) _(i) ∀i=k . . . k+h−1

Switching constraints module 908 can replace the nonlinear switchingterm in the cost function J(x) with the following linearized term:

$\sum\limits_{i = k}^{k + h - 1}\; {r_{s_{i}}s_{i}}$

which can be optimized using any of a variety of linear optimizationtechniques (e.g., linear programming) subject to the constraints on theauxiliary switching variable s_(i).

Demand Charge Incorporation

Still referring to FIG. 9, high level optimizer 632 is shown to includea demand charge module 910. Demand charge module 910 can be configuredto modify the cost function J(x) and the optimization constraints toaccount for one or more demand charges. As previously described, demandcharges are costs imposed by utilities 510 based on the peak consumptionof a resource from utilities 510 during various demand charge periods(i.e., the peak amount of the resource purchased from the utility duringany time step of the applicable demand charge period). For example, anelectric utility may define one or more demand charge periods and mayimpose a separate demand charge based on the peak electric consumptionduring each demand charge period. Electric energy storage can helpreduce peak consumption by storing electricity in a battery when energyconsumption is low and discharging the stored electricity from thebattery when energy consumption is high, thereby reducing peakelectricity purchased from the utility during any time step of thedemand charge period.

In some instances, one or more of the resources purchased from utilities510 are subject to a demand charge or multiple demand charges. There aremany types of potential demand charges as there are different types ofenergy rate structures. The most common energy rate structures areconstant pricing, time of use (TOU), and real time pricing (RTP). Eachdemand charge may be associated with a demand charge period during whichthe demand charge is active. Demand charge periods can overlap partiallyor completely with each other and/or with the optimization period.Demand charge periods can include relatively long periods (e.g.,monthly, seasonal, annual, etc.) or relatively short periods (e.g.,days, hours, etc.). Each of these periods can be divided into severalsub-periods including off-peak, partial-peak, and/or on-peak. Somedemand charge periods are continuous (e.g., beginning Jan. 1, 2017 andending Jan. 31, 2017), whereas other demand charge periods arenon-continuous (e.g., from 11:00 AM-1:00 PM each day of the month).

Over a given optimization period, some demand charges may be activeduring some time steps that occur within the optimization period andinactive during other time steps that occur during the optimizationperiod. Some demand charges may be active over all the time steps thatoccur within the optimization period. Some demand charges may apply tosome time steps that occur during the optimization period and other timesteps that occur outside the optimization period (e.g., before or afterthe optimization period). In some embodiments, the durations of thedemand charge periods are significantly different from the duration ofthe optimization period.

Advantageously, demand charge module 910 may be configured to accountfor demand charges in the high level optimization process performed byhigh level optimizer 632. In some embodiments, demand charge module 910incorporates demand charges into the optimization problem and the costfunction J(x) using demand charge masks and demand charge rate weightingfactors. Each demand charge mask may correspond to a particular demandcharge and may indicate the time steps during which the correspondingdemand charge is active and/or the time steps during which the demandcharge is inactive. Each rate weighting factor may also correspond to aparticular demand charge and may scale the corresponding demand chargerate to the time scale of the optimization period.

As described above, the demand charge term of the cost function J(x) canbe expressed as:

${J(x)} = {\cdots {\sum\limits_{s \in {sources}}{\sum\limits_{q \in {demands}_{s}}{w_{{demand},s,q}r_{{demand},s,q}\mspace{14mu} {\max\limits_{i \in {demand}_{s,q}}\mspace{14mu} {\left( {purchase}_{s,i} \right)\mspace{14mu} \ldots}}}}}}$

where the max( ) function selects the maximum amount of the resourcepurchased from source s during any time step i that occurs during theoptimization period. However, the demand charge period associated withdemand charge q may not cover all of the time steps that occur duringthe optimization period. In order to apply the demand charge q to onlythe time steps during which the demand charge q is active, demand chargemodule 910 can add a demand charge mask to the demand charge term asshown in the following equation:

${J(x)} = {\cdots {\sum\limits_{s \in {sources}}{\sum\limits_{q \in {demands}_{s}}{w_{{demand},s,q}r_{{demand},s,q}\mspace{14mu} {\max\limits_{i \in {demand}_{s,q}}\mspace{14mu} {\left( {_{s,q,i}{purchase}_{s,i}} \right)\mspace{14mu} \ldots}}}}}}$

where g_(s,q,i) is an element of the demand charge mask.

The demand charge mask may be a logical vector including an elementg_(s,q,i) for each time step i that occurs during the optimizationperiod. Each element g_(s,q,i) of the demand charge mask may include abinary value (e.g., a one or zero) that indicates whether the demandcharge q for source s is active during the corresponding time step i ofthe optimization period. For example, the element g_(s,q,i) may have avalue of one (i.e., g_(s,q,i)=1) if demand charge q is active duringtime step i and a value of zero (i.e., g_(s,q,i)=0) if demand charge qis inactive during time step i. An example of a demand charge mask isshown in the following equation:

g _(s,q)=[0, 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, 1, 1]^(T)

where g_(s,q,1), g_(s,q,2), g_(s,q,3), g_(s,q,8), g_(s,q,9), andg_(s,q,10) have values of zero, whereas g_(s,q,4), g_(s,q,5), g_(s,q,6),g_(s,q,7), g_(s,q,11), and g_(s,q,12) have values of one. This indicatesthat the demand charge q is inactive during time steps i=1, 2, 3, 8, 9,10 (i.e., g_(s,q,i)=0 ∀i=1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10) and active during time stepsi=4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12 (i.e., g_(s,q,i)=1 ∀i=4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12).Accordingly, the term g_(s,q,i)purchase_(s,i) within the max( ) functionmay have a value of zero for all time steps during which the demandcharge q is inactive. This causes the max( ) function to select themaximum purchase from source s that occurs during only the time stepsfor which the demand charge q is active.

In some embodiments, demand charge module 910 calculates the weightingfactor w_(demand,s,q) for each demand charge q in the cost functionJ(x). The weighting factor w_(demand,s,q) may be a ratio of the numberof time steps the corresponding demand charge q is active during theoptimization period to the number of time steps the corresponding demandcharge q is active in the remaining demand charge period (if any) afterthe end of the optimization period. For example, demand charge module910 can calculate the weighting factor w_(demand,s,q) using thefollowing equation:

$w_{{demand},s,q} = \frac{\Sigma_{i = k}^{k + h - 1}_{s,q,i}}{\Sigma_{i = {k + h}}^{{period}_{—}{emd}}_{s,q,i}}$

where the numerator is the summation of the number of time steps thedemand charge q is active in the optimization period (i.e., from timestep k to time step k+h−1) and the denominator is the number of timesteps the demand charge q is active in the portion of the demand chargeperiod that occurs after the optimization period (i.e., from time stepk+h to the end of the demand charge period). The following exampleillustrates how demand charge module 910 can incorporate multiple demandcharges into the cost function J(x). In this example, a single source ofelectricity (e.g., an electric grid) is considered with multiple demandcharges applicable to the electricity source (i.e., q=1 . . . N, where Nis the total number of demand charges). The system includes a batteryasset which can be allocated over the optimization period by charging ordischarging the battery during various time steps. Charging the batteryincreases the amount of electricity purchased from the electric grid,whereas discharging the battery decreases the amount of electricitypurchased from the electric grid.

Demand charge module 910 can modify the cost function J(x) to accountfor the N demand charges as shown in the following equation:

${J(x)} = {\cdots + {w_{d_{1}}r_{d_{1}}\mspace{14mu} {\max\limits_{i}\mspace{14mu} \left( {_{1_{i}}\left( {{- P_{{bat}_{i}}} + {eLoad}_{i}} \right)} \right)}} + \cdots + {w_{d_{q}}r_{d_{q}}\mspace{14mu} {\max\limits_{i}\mspace{14mu} \left( {_{q_{i}}\left( {{- P_{{bat}_{i}}} + {eLoad}_{i}} \right)} \right)}} + \cdots + {w_{d_{N}}r_{d_{N}}\mspace{14mu} {\max\limits_{i}\mspace{14mu} \left( {_{N_{i}}\left( {{- P_{{bat}_{i}}} + {eLoad}_{i}} \right)} \right)}}}$

where the term −P_(bat) _(i) +eLoad_(i) represents the total amount ofelectricity purchased from the electric grid during time step i (i.e.,the total electric load eLoad_(i) minus the power discharged from thebattery P_(bat) _(i) ). Each demand charge q=1 . . . N can be accountedfor separately in the cost function J(x) by including a separate max( )function for each of the N demand charges. The parameter r_(d) _(q)indicates the demand charge rate associated with the qth demand charge(e.g., $/kW) and the weighting factor w_(d) _(q) indicates the weightapplied to the qth demand charge.

Demand charge module 910 can augment each max( ) function with anelement g_(q) _(i) of the demand charge mask for the correspondingdemand charge. Each demand charge mask may be a logical vector of binaryvalues which indicates whether the corresponding demand charge is activeor inactive at each time step i of the optimization period. Accordingly,each max( ) function may select the maximum electricity purchase duringonly the time steps the corresponding demand charge is active. Each max() function can be multiplied by the corresponding demand charge rater_(d) _(q) and the corresponding demand charge weighting factor w_(d)_(q) to determine the total demand charge resulting from the batteryallocation P_(bat) over the duration of the optimization period.

In some embodiments, demand charge module 910 linearizes the demandcharge terms of the cost function J(x) by introducing an auxiliaryvariable d_(q) for each demand charge q. In the case of the previousexample, this will result in N auxiliary variables d₁ . . . d_(N) beingintroduced as decision variables in the cost function J(x). Demandcharge module 910 can modify the cost function J(x) to include thelinearized demand charge terms as shown in the following equation:

J(x)= . . . +w _(d) ₁ r _(d) ₁ d ₁ + . . . +w _(d) _(q) r _(d) _(q) d_(q) + . . . +w _(d) _(N) r _(d) _(N) d _(N)

Demand charge module 910 can impose the following constraints on theauxiliary demand charge variables d₁ . . . d_(N) to ensure that eachauxiliary demand charge variable represents the maximum amount ofelectricity purchased from the electric utility during the applicabledemand charge period:

$\begin{matrix}{d_{1} \geq {g_{1_{i}}\left( {{- P_{{bat}_{i}}} + {eLoad}_{i}} \right)}} & {{{\forall i} = {{k\mspace{14mu} \ldots \mspace{14mu} k} + h - 1}},} & {g_{1_{i}} \neq 0} \\\; & {d_{1} \geq 0} & \vdots\end{matrix}$ $\begin{matrix}{d_{q} \geq {g_{q_{i}}\left( {{- P_{{bat}_{i}}} + {eLoad}_{i}} \right)}} & {{{\forall i} = {{k\mspace{14mu} \ldots \mspace{14mu} k} + h - 1}},} & {g_{q_{i}} \neq 0} \\\; & {d_{q} \geq 0} & \vdots\end{matrix}$ $\begin{matrix}{d_{N} \geq {g_{N_{i}}\left( {{- P_{{bat}_{i}}} + {eLoad}_{i}} \right)}} & {{{\forall i} = {{k\mspace{14mu} \ldots \mspace{14mu} k} + h - 1}},} & {g_{N_{i}} \neq 0} \\\; & {d_{N} \geq 0} & \vdots\end{matrix}$

In some embodiments, the number of constraints corresponding to eachdemand charge q is dependent on how many time steps the demand charge qis active during the optimization period. For example, the number ofconstraints for the demand charge q may be equal to the number ofnon-zero elements of the demand charge mask g_(q). Furthermore, thevalue of the auxiliary demand charge variable d_(q) at each iteration ofthe optimization may act as the lower bound of the value of theauxiliary demand charge variable d_(q) at the following iteration.

Consider the following example of a multiple demand charge structure. Inthis example, an electric utility imposes three monthly demand charges.The first demand charge is an all-time monthly demand charge of 15.86$/kWh which applies to all hours within the entire month. The seconddemand charge is an on-peak monthly demand charge of 1.56 $/kWh whichapplies each day from 12:00-18:00. The third demand charge is apartial-peak monthly demand charge of 0.53 $/kWh which applies each dayfrom 9:00-12:00 and from 18:00-22:00.

For an optimization period of one day and a time step of one hour (i.e.,i=1 . . . 24), demand charge module 910 may introduce three auxiliarydemand charge variables. The first auxiliary demand charge variable d₁corresponds to the all-time monthly demand charge; the second auxiliarydemand charge variable d₂ corresponds to the on-peak monthly demandcharge; and the third auxiliary demand charge variable d₃ corresponds tothe partial-peak monthly demand charge. Demand charge module 910 canconstrain each auxiliary demand charge variable to be greater than orequal to the maximum electricity purchase during the hours thecorresponding demand charge is active, using the inequality constraintsdescribed above.

Demand charge module 910 can generate a demand charge mask g_(q) foreach of the three demand charges (i.e., q=1 . . . 3), where g_(q)includes an element for each time step of the optimization period (i.e.,g_(q)=[g_(q) ₁ . . . g_(q) ₂₄ ]). The three demand charge masks can bedefined as follows:

g ₁ _(i) =1 ∀i=1 . . . 24

g ₂ _(i) =1 ∀i=12 . . . 18

g ₃ _(i) =1 ∀i=9 . . . 12, 18 . . . 22

with all other elements of the demand charge masks equal to zero. Inthis example, it is evident that more than one demand charge constraintwill be active during the hours which overlap with multiple demandcharge periods. Also, the weight of each demand charge over theoptimization period can vary based on the number of hours the demandcharge is active, as previously described.

In some embodiments, demand charge module 910 considers severaldifferent demand charge structures when incorporating multiple demandcharges into the cost function J(x) and optimization constraints. Demandcharge structures can vary from one utility to another, or the utilitymay offer several demand charge options. In order to incorporate themultiple demand charges within the optimization framework, agenerally-applicable framework can be defined as previously described.Demand charge module 910 can translate any demand charge structure intothis framework. For example, demand charge module 910 can characterizeeach demand charge by rates, demand charge period start, demand chargeperiod end, and active hours. Advantageously, this allows demand chargemodule 910 to incorporate multiple demand charges in agenerally-applicable format.

The following is another example of how demand charge module 910 canincorporate multiple demand charges into the cost function J(x).Consider, for example, monthly demand charges with all-time, on-peak,partial-peak, and off-peak. In this case, there are four demand chargestructures, where each demand charge is characterized by twelve monthlyrates, twelve demand charge period start (e.g., beginning of eachmonth), twelve demand charge period end (e.g., end of each month), andhoursActive. The hoursActive is a logical vector where the hours over ayear where the demand charge is active are set to one. When running theoptimization over a given horizon, demand charge module 910 canimplement the applicable demand charges using the hoursActive mask, therelevant period, and the corresponding rate.

In the case of an annual demand charge, demand charge module 910 can setthe demand charge period start and period end to the beginning and endof a year. For the annual demand charge, demand charge module 910 canapply a single annual rate. The hoursActive demand charge mask canrepresent the hours during which the demand charge is active. For anannual demand charge, if there is an all-time, on-peak, partial-peak,and/or off-peak, this translates into at most four annual demand chargeswith the same period start and end, but different hoursActive anddifferent rates.

In the case of a seasonal demand charge (e.g., a demand charge for whichthe maximum peak is determined over the indicated season period), demandcharge module 910 can represent the demand charge as an annual demandcharge. Demand charge module 910 can set the demand charge period startand end to the beginning and end of a year. Demand charge module 910 canset the hoursActive to one during the hours which belong to the seasonand to zero otherwise. For a seasonal demand charge, if there is anAll-time, on-peak, partial, and/or off-peak, this translates into atmost four seasonal demand charges with the same period start and end,but different hoursActive and different rates.

In the case of the average of the maximum of current month and theaverage of the maxima of the eleven previous months, demand chargemodule 910 can translate the demand charge structure into a monthlydemand charge and an annual demand charge. The rate of the monthlydemand charge may be half of the given monthly rate and the annual ratemay be the sum of given monthly rates divided by two. These and otherfeatures of demand charge module 910 are described in greater detail inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/405,236 filed Jan. 12, 2017, theentire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Incentive Program Incorporation

Referring again to FIG. 9, high level optimizer 632 is shown to includean incentive program module 912. Incentive program module 912 may modifythe optimization problem to account for revenue from participating in anincentive-based demand response (IBDR) program. IBDR programs mayinclude any type of incentive-based program that provides revenue inexchange for resources (e.g., electric power) or a reduction in a demandfor such resources. For example, energy storage system 500 may provideelectric power to an energy grid or an independent service operator aspart of a frequency response program (e.g., PJM frequency response) or asynchronized reserve market. In a frequency response program, aparticipant contracts with an electrical supplier to maintain reservepower capacity that can be supplied or removed from an energy grid bytracking a supplied signal. The participant is paid by the amount ofpower capacity required to maintain in reserve. In other types of IBDRprograms, energy storage system 500 may reduce its demand for resourcesfrom a utility as part of a load shedding program. It is contemplatedthat energy storage system 500 may participate in any number and/or typeof IBDR programs.

In some embodiments, incentive program module 912 modifies the costfunction J(x) to include revenue generated from participating in aneconomic load demand response (ELDR) program. ELDR is a type of IBDRprogram and similar to frequency regulation. In ELDR, the objective isto maximize the revenue generated by the program, while using thebattery to participate in other programs and to perform demandmanagement and energy cost reduction. To account for ELDR programparticipation, incentive program module 912 can modify the cost functionJ(x) to include the following term:

$\min\limits_{b_{i},P_{{bat}_{i}}}\mspace{14mu} \left( {- {\sum\limits_{i = k}^{k + h - 1}\; {b_{i}{r_{{ELDR}_{i}}\left( {{adjCBL}_{i} - \left( {{eLoad}_{i} - P_{{bat}_{i}}} \right)} \right)}}}} \right)$

where b₁ is a binary decision variable indicating whether to participatein the ELDR program during time step i, r_(ELDR) _(i) is the ELDRincentive rate at which participation is compensated, and adjCBL_(i) isthe symmetric additive adjustment (SAA) on the baseline load. Theprevious expression can be rewritten as:

$\min\limits_{b_{i},P_{{bat}_{i}}}\mspace{14mu} \left( {- {\sum\limits_{i = k}^{k + h - 1}\; {b_{i}{r_{{ELDR}_{i}}\left( {{\sum\limits_{l = 1}^{4}\; \frac{e_{li}}{4}} + {\sum\limits_{p = {m - 4}}^{m - 2}\; {\frac{1}{3}\left( {{eLoad}_{p} - P_{{bat}_{p}} - {\sum\limits_{l = 1}^{4}\; \frac{e_{lp}}{4}}} \right)}} - \left( {{eLoad}_{i} - P_{{bat}_{i}}} \right)} \right)}}}} \right)$

where e_(li) and e_(lp) are the electric loads at the lth hour of theoperating day.

In some embodiments, incentive program module 912 handles theintegration of ELDR into the optimization problem as a bilinear problemwith two multiplicative decision variables. In order to linearize thecost function J(x) and customize the ELDR problem to the optimizationframework, several assumptions may be made. For example, incentiveprogram module 912 can assume that ELDR participation is only in thereal-time market, balancing operating reserve charges and make wholepayments are ignored, day-ahead prices are used over the horizon,real-time prices are used in calculating the total revenue from ELDRafter the decisions are made by the optimization algorithm, and thedecision to participate in ELDR is made in advance and passed to theoptimization algorithm based on which the battery asset is allocated.

In some embodiments, incentive program module 912 calculates theparticipation vector b_(i) as follows:

$b_{i} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}1 & {\forall{{{i\text{/}r_{{DA}_{i}}} \geq {{NBT}_{i}\mspace{14mu} {and}\mspace{14mu} i}} \in S}} \\0 & {{otherwise}\mspace{124mu}}\end{matrix} \right.$

where r_(DA) _(i) is the hourly day-ahead price at the ith hour, NBT_(i)is the net benefits test value corresponding to the month to which thecorresponding hour belongs, and S is the set of nonevent days. Noneventdays can be determined for the year by choosing to participate every xnumber of days with the highest day-ahead prices out of y number of daysfor a given day type. This approach may ensure that there are noneventdays in the 45 days prior to a given event day when calculating the CBLfor the event day.

Given these assumptions and the approach taken by incentive programmodule 912 to determine when to participate in ELDR, incentive programmodule 912 can adjust the cost function J(x) as follows:

${J(x)} = {{- {\sum\limits_{i = k}^{k + h - 1}\; {r_{e_{i}}P_{{bat}_{i}}}}} - {\sum\limits_{i = k}^{k + h - 1}\; {r_{{FR}_{i}}P_{{FR}_{i}}}} + {\sum\limits_{i = k}^{k + h - 1}\; {r_{s_{i}}s_{i}}} + {w_{d}r_{d}d} - {\sum\limits_{i = k}^{k + h - 1}\; {b_{i}{r_{{DA}_{i}}\left( {{\sum\limits_{p = {m - 4}}^{m - 2}\; {{- \frac{1}{3}}P_{{bat}_{p}}}} + P_{{bat}_{i}}} \right)}}}}$

where b_(i) and m are known over a given horizon. The resulting termcorresponding to ELDR shows that the rates at the ith participation hourare doubled and those corresponding to the SAA are lowered. This meansit is expected that high level optimizer 632 will tend to charge thebattery during the SAA hours and discharge the battery during theparticipation hours. Notably, even though a given hour is set to be anELDR participation hour, high level optimizer 632 may not decide toallocate any of the battery asset during that hour. This is due to thefact that it may be more beneficial at that instant to participate inanother incentive program or to perform demand management.

Peak Load Contribution Incorporation

Still referring to FIG. 9, high level optimizer 632 is shown to includea peak load contribution module 914. Peak load contribution (PLC) is acustomer's contribution to regional demand peaks that occur ingeographic area managed by a regional transmission organization (RTO) orindependent system operator (ISO) at certain hours within a base period.The regional demand at a given hour may be the summation of thecustomer's demand during (i.e., the rate at which the customer purchaseselectricity or another resource from a utility) as well as the demand ofother buildings in the geographic area during that hour. The customermay be billed based on its contribution to the peak regional demand(e.g., $/kW of the customer's PLC) in addition to the energy consumptioncharges and demand charges previously described.

PLC module 914 can be configured to modify the cost function J(x) toaccount for a cost associated with the customer's PLC. By incorporatingPLC costs into the cost function J(x), PLC module 914 enables high leveloptimizer 632 to allocate resource consumption and resource purchases toreduce the customer's PLC. High level optimizer 632 can reduce PLC costsby shifting the customer's load to non-peak times or shaving thecustomer's peak load. This can be done, for example, by precooling thebuilding during non-peak times, using thermal energy storage, and/orusing electrical energy storage such as a battery asset.

Accounting for the cost associated with the customer's PLC can be moredifficult than accounting for energy consumption costs and demandcharges. Unlike demand charge which is calculated based on thecustomer's maximum demand during predetermined demand charge periods,the hours over which PLC is calculated may not be known in advance. Thehours of peak regional demand (i.e., the coincidental peak (CP) hours)may not be known until the end of the base period over which PLC iscalculated. For example, the CP hours for a given base period (e.g., oneyear) may be determined by a RTO at the end of the base period based onthe demand of all the buildings within the geographic area managed bythe RTO during the base period (e.g., by selecting the hours with thehighest regional demand). The customer's PLC may then be determinedbased on the customer's demand during the designated CP hours and usedto calculate a cost of the customer's PLC. This cost may then be billedto the customer during the next time period (e.g., the next year),referred to as the billing period.

Another difficulty in accounting for PLC costs is that the base period,billing period, CP hours, and other factors used to calculate the PLCcost may differ from one RTO to another. For example, a RTO for thePennsylvania, Jersey, and Maryland (PJM) geographic area may define thebase period (i.e., the peak-setting period) as June 1^(st) of year Y toMay 31^(st) of year Y+1. The billing period (i.e., the delivery period)may be defined as June 1^(st) of year Y+1 to May 31^(st) of year Y+2.PJM may define the CP hours as the five hours with the highest loadsover the five highest peak load days across the PJM geographic region.

A customer's PLC in the PJM region may be calculated as the product ofthe customer's average electric load during the five CP hours and acapacity loss factor (CLF), as shown in the following equation:

${PLC}_{customer} = {{CLF} \times {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{5}\; \frac{{eLoad}_{{cp}_{i}}}{5}}}$

where PLC_(customer) is the customer's peak load contribution calculatedduring year Y, CLF is the capacity loss factor (e.g., CLF=1.05), andeLoad_(cp) _(i) is the customer's electric load (e.g., kW) during theith CP hour.

The customer's PLC cost in the PJM region can be calculated as theproduct of the customer's PLC during year Y and a PLC rate, as shown inthe following equation:

PLC _(cost) =r _(PLC) ×PLC _(customer)

where PLC_(cost) is the customer's PLC charge billed over the deliveryyear Y+1 (e.g., $) and r_(PLC) is the rate at which the customer ischarged for its PLC (e.g., $/kW).

An additional complication in the PJM region relates to the interactionbetween PLC costs and economic load demand response (ELDR) revenue. Insome embodiments, a customer participating in ELDR in the PJM regionduring one of the CP hours may be prohibited from reducing its PLC whileearning ELDR revenue at the same time. Accordingly, a customer wishingto reduce its load during an assumed CP hour for the purpose of reducingits capacity, transmission, and/or demand charge costs may be restrictedfrom making a bid for the same assumed CP hour in the ELDR market.

Another example of an organization which imposes PLC costs is theindependent electricity system operator (IESO) in Ontario, Canada.Relative to PJM, IESO may use a different base period, billing period,CP hours, and other factors used to calculate the PLC cost. For example,IESO may define the base period or peak-setting period as May 1^(st) ofyear Y to April 30^(th) of year Y+1. The billing period or adjustmentperiod for IESO may be defined as July 1^(st) of year Y+1 to June30^(th) of year Y+2. IESO may define the CP hours as the five hours withthe highest regional demands across the IESO geographic region.

At the end of the base period, IESO may calculate the customer's peakdemand factor (θ_(PDF)). The peak demand factor may be defined as theratio of the sum of the customer's peak demand to the sum of theregion-wide demand peaks during the five CP hours, as shown in thefollowing equation:

$\theta_{PDF} = \frac{\Sigma_{i = 1}^{5}{eLoad}_{{cp}_{i}}}{\Sigma_{i = 1}^{5}{sysLoad}_{{cp}_{i}}}$

where sysLoad_(cp) _(i) is the region-wide peak load during the ith CPhour and eLoad_(cp) _(i) is the customer's peak load during the ith CPhour.

The customer's PLC cost in the IESO region is known as a globaladjustment (GA) charge. The GA charge may be imposed as a monthly chargeduring the billing period. In some embodiments, the GA charge iscalculated by multiplying the customer's peak demand factor by themonthly region-wide global adjustment costs, as shown in the followingequation:

GA _(cost,month)=θ_(PDF) ×GA _(total,month)

where GA_(cost,month) is the customer's monthly PLC cost (e.g., $) andGA_(total,month) is the region-wide global adjustment cost (e.g., $).The value of GA_(total,month) may be specified by IESO. In someembodiments, GA_(total,month) has a known value. In other embodiments,the value of GA_(total,month) may not be known until the end of the baseperiod.

In order to incorporate PLC costs into the cost function J(x) andallocate resource consumption/purchases in advance, PLC module 914 cangenerate or obtain a projection of the CP hours for an upcoming baseperiod. The projected CP hours can then be used by high level optimizer632 as an estimate of the actual CP hours. High level optimizer 632 canuse the projected CP hours to allocate one or more assets (e.g., abattery, thermal energy storage, HVAC equipment, etc.) to minimize thecustomer's demand during the projected CP hours. These and otherfeatures of PLC module 914 are described in greater detail in U.S.patent application Ser. No. 15/405,234 filed Jan. 12, 2017, the entiredisclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Asset Sizing Incorporation

Still referring to FIG. 9, high level optimizer 632 is shown to includean asset sizing module 916. Asset sizing module 916 can be configured todetermine the optimal sizes of various assets in a building, group ofbuildings, or a central plant. Assets can include individual pieces ofequipment or groups of equipment. For example, assets can includeboilers, chillers, heat recovery chillers, steam generators, electricalgenerators, thermal energy storage tanks, batteries, air handling units,or other types of equipment in a building or a central plant (e.g., HVACequipment, BMS equipment, etc.). In some embodiments, assets includecollections of equipment which form a subplant of a central plant (e.g.,central plant 118). For example, assets can include heater subplant 521,chiller subplant 522, heat recovery chiller subplant 523, steam subplant524, electricity subplant 525, or any other type of generator subplant520. In some embodiments, assets include hot thermal energy storage 531(e.g., one or more hot water storage tanks), cold thermal energy storage532 (e.g., one or more cold thermal energy storage tanks), electricalenergy storage 533 (e.g., one or more batteries), or any other type ofstorage subplant 530.

Asset sizes can include a maximum loading of the asset and/or a maximumcapacity of the asset. Some assets such as storage subplants 530 mayhave both a maximum loading and a maximum capacity. For example, batteryassets may have a maximum battery power (e.g., a maximum rate at whichthe battery can be charged or discharged) and a maximum state-of-charge(e.g., a maximum energy storage of the battery). Similarly, thermalenergy storage assets may have a maximum charge/discharge rate and amaximum capacity (e.g., maximum fluid storage, etc.). Other assets suchas generator subplants 520 may have only a maximum loading. For example,a chiller may have a maximum rate at which the chiller can produce coldthermal energy. Similarly, an electric generator may have a maximum rateat which the generator can produce electricity. Asset sizing module 916can be configured to determine the maximum loading and/or the maximumcapacity of an asset when determining the optimal size of the asset.

In some embodiments, asset sizing module 916 is implemented a componentof planning tool 702. In the planning tool framework, asset sizingmodule 916 can determine the optimal size of an asset for a givenapplication. For example, consider the planning problem described withreference to FIGS. 7-8 in which the high level optimization is solved ata given time instant k over a given time horizon h. With each iterationof the high level optimization, the time horizon h can be shiftedforward by a block size equivalent to b time steps and the first b setsof decision variables may be retained. In such a planning problem, thesizes of the assets to be optimally allocated are typically given alongwith historical load data, utility pricing, and other relative data.However, there are many cases in which the sizes of the assets to beallocated are unknown. For example, when purchasing a new asset for agiven application (e.g., adding thermal energy storage or electricalenergy storage to a building or central plant), a user may wish todetermine the optimal size of the asset to purchase.

Asset sizing module 916 can be configured to determine the optimal sizeof an asset by considering the potential benefits and costs of theasset. Potential benefits can include, for example, reduced energycosts, reduced demand charges, reduced PLC charges, and/or increasedrevenue from participating in IBDR programs such as frequency regulation(FR) or economic load demand response (ELDR). Potential costs caninclude fixed costs (e.g., an initial purchase cost of the asset) aswell as marginal costs (e.g., ongoing costs of using the asset) over thetime horizon. The potential benefits and costs of an asset may varybased on the application of the asset and/or the system in which theasset will be used. For example, a system that participates in FRprograms may realize the benefit of increased IBDR revenue, whereas asystem that does not participate in any IBDR programs may not realizesuch a benefit.

Some of the benefits and costs of an asset may be captured by theoriginal cost function J(x). For example, the cost function J(x) mayinclude terms corresponding to energy cost, multiple demand charges, PLCcharges, and/or IBDR revenue, as previously described. Adding one ormore new assets may affect the values of some or all of these terms inthe original cost function J(x). For example, adding a battery asset mayincrease IBDR revenue and decrease energy cost, demand charges, and PLCcharges. However, the original cost function J(x) may not account forthe fixed and marginal costs resulting from new asset purchases. Inorder to account for these fixed and marginal costs, asset sizing module916 may add new terms to the original cost function J(x).

Asset sizing module 916 can be configured to augment the cost functionJ(x) with two new terms that correspond to the cost of purchasing thenew assets, resulting in an augmented cost function J_(a)(x). Theadditional terms are shown in the following equation:

J _(a)(x)=(x)+c _(f) ^(T) v+c _(s) ^(T) s _(a)

where J(x) is the original cost function, x is the vector of decisionvariables of the optimization problem over the horizon, c_(f) is avector of fixed costs of buying any size of asset (e.g., one element foreach potential asset purchase), v is a vector of binary decisionvariables that indicate whether the corresponding assets are purchased,c_(s) is a vector of marginal costs per unit of asset size (e.g., costper unit loading, cost per unit capacity), and s_(a) is a vector ofcontinuous decision variables corresponding to the asset sizes.Advantageously, the binary purchase decisions and asset size decisionsare treated as decision variables which can be optimized along with thedecision variables in the vector x. This allows high level optimizer 632to perform a single optimization to determine optimal values for all ofthe decision variables in the augmented cost function J_(a)(x).

In some embodiments, asset sizing module 916 scales the asset purchasecosts c_(f) ^(T)v and c_(s) ^(T)s_(a) to the duration of theoptimization period h. The cost of purchasing an asset is typically paidover an entire payback period SPP, whereas the operational cost is onlyover the optimization period h. In order to scale the asset purchasecosts to the optimization period, asset sizing module 916 can multiplythe terms c_(f) ^(T)v and c_(s) ^(T)s_(a) by the ratio

$\frac{h}{SPP}$

as shown in the following equation:

${J_{a}(x)} = {{J(x)} + {\frac{h}{8760 \cdot {SPP}}\left( {{c_{f}^{T}v} + {c_{s}^{T}s_{a}}} \right)}}$

where h is the duration of the optimization period in hours, SPP is theduration of the payback period in years, and 8760 is the number of hoursin a year.

High level optimizer 632 can perform an optimization process todetermine the optimal values of each of the binary decision variables inthe vector v and each of the continuous decision variables in the vectors_(a). In some embodiments, high level optimizer 632 uses linearprogramming (LP) or mixed integer linear programming (MILP) to optimizea financial metric such as net present value (NPV), simple paybackperiod (SPP), or internal rate of return (IRR). Each element of thevectors c_(f), v, c_(s), and s_(a) may correspond to a particular assetand/or a particular asset size. Accordingly, high level optimizer 632can determine the optimal assets to purchase and the optimal sizes topurchase by identifying the optimal values of the binary decisionvariables in the vector v and the continuous decision variables in thevector s_(a). These and other features of asset sizing module 916 aredescribed in greater detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/426,962 filed Feb. 7, 2017, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated by reference herein.

Maintenance Contracts Incorporation

Still referring to FIG. 9, high level optimizer 632 is shown to includea maintenance contracts module 918. Maintenance contracts module 918 canbe configured to modify the cost function J(x) to account for a costassociated with maintenance contracts for various assets in a building,group of buildings, or a central plant. Assets can include individualpieces of equipment or groups of equipment. For example, assets caninclude boilers, chillers, heat recovery chillers, steam generators,electrical generators, thermal energy storage tanks, batteries, airhandling units, or other types of equipment in a building or a centralplant (e.g., HVAC equipment, BMS equipment, etc.). In some embodiments,assets include collections of equipment which form a subplant of acentral plant (e.g., central plant 118). For example, assets can includeheater subplant 521, chiller subplant 522, heat recovery chillersubplant 523, steam subplant 524, electricity subplant 525, or any othertype of generator subplant 520. In some embodiments, assets include hotthermal energy storage 531 (e.g., one or more hot water storage tanks),cold thermal energy storage 532 (e.g., one or more cold thermal energystorage tanks), electrical energy storage 533 (e.g., one or morebatteries), or any other type of storage subplant 530.

Maintenance contracts module 918 can be configured to modify the costfunction J(x) to include a maintenance cost term. The maintenance costterm may account for an economic or monetary cost (e.g., dollars) ofperforming maintenance on the assets. An example of a modified costfunction J_(a)(x) which can be generated by maintenance contracts module918 is shown in the following equation:

${J_{a}(x)} = {{J(x)} + {\sum\limits_{k \in {horizon}}{c_{hourly}b_{k}}}}$

where J(x) is the original cost function, c_(hourly) is the hourly costof maintenance, and b_(k) is a binary variable representing the on/offstate of the asset at hour k of the optimization period. For example,b_(k) may have a value of b_(k)=1 if the asset is on during hour k or avalue of b_(k)=0 if the asset is off during hour k. The modified costfunction can be expressed in matrix form as follows:

J _(a)(x)=J(x)+c _(hourly) b

where b is a vector of binary variables having an element for each hourk of the optimization period. The binary variables b_(k) and the vectorb may be decision variables to be optimized by high level optimizer 632as part of the high level optimization process. The value of c_(hourly)may be determined by maintenance contracts module 918, as described indetail below.

Although c_(hourl) is described as an hourly cost and each time step kis described as one hour, it should be understood that the time periodassociated with the cost and the time step can have any duration. Forexample, c_(hourly) can be replaced with a daily cost, a monthly cost, ayearly cost, a cost per half hour, a cost per quarter hour, or a costassociated with any other duration. Similarly, the duration of each timestep k can be a quarter hour, a half hour, an hour, a day, a month, orany other duration. The same techniques can be used to augment the costfunction J(x) with a maintenance cost term regardless of the duration oftime step k and the time period associated with c_(hourly).

Many assets have a fixed maintenance schedule that is dependent on thenumber of run hours since the last time the maintenance was performed.For example, the maintenance schedule for a chiller may involve cleaningthe chiller tubes every X run hours (e.g., every 5000 run hours). Afixed cost $C may be incurred each time the maintenance is performed.For fixed maintenance schedules, maintenance contracts module 918 candetermine the hourly cost c_(hourly) by taking the maintenance cost $Cand dividing by the number of run hours X between performances of themaintenance (e.g., c_(hourly)=$C/X). Maintenance contracts module 918can then incorporate the hourly cost of maintenance c_(hourly) into thecost function J_(a)(x) as a fixed cost per run hour of the asset.

In some scenarios, an owner of an asset might contract with amaintenance provider to perform maintenance under a fixed contract. Inthis case, the contract terms may specify a base cost c_(base) whichcovers base number of run hours t_(base) and a marginal cost c_(m) foreach hour that the asset is operated exceeding the base number of runhours t_(base). For example, the contract might stipulate $500,000dollars for the first 4,000 run hours and an additional $42 per hourexceeding 4,000 hours. The maintenance cost can be expressed as apiecewise-defined function, as shown in the following equation:

${AnnualCost} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}c_{base} & {t < t_{base}} \\{c_{base} + {c_{m}\left( {t - t_{base}} \right)}} & {t \geq t_{base}}\end{matrix} \right.$

where AnnualCost is the total maintenance cost per year, c_(base) is thebase cost, t_(base) is the base number of hours covered by the base costc_(base), c_(m) is the marginal cost for each run hour exceeding thebase number of run hours t_(base), and t is the number of run hours ofthe asset. Incorporating this type of maintenance contract into theoptimization algorithm can be significantly more complicated thanincorporating a fixed cost per run hour.

Maintenance contracts module 918 can be configured to determine thevalue of c_(hourly) that will yield the optimal solution to the highlevel optimization problem. The value of c_(hourly) may reflect the truehourly cost of maintenance when the cost changes from an already sunkcost with no marginal cost to a marginal cost of c_(m) after theequipment has be used for a stipulated number of run hours. Maintenancecontracts module 918 can use the value of c_(hourly) to define themaintenance cost term in the modified cost function J_(a)(x).

In some embodiments, maintenance contracts module 918 is configured torun in an offline mode (e.g., a planning mode) and an online mode (e.g.,an operational mode). In the offline mode, maintenance contracts module918 can perform several simulations of the year with assumed loads andutility costs (i.e., a planning run) with different values of c_(hourly)in the cost function J_(a)(x) to determine the value of c_(hourly) thatyields the optimal results under the terms of the maintenance contract.In the online mode, maintenance contracts module 918 can run the plan atdifferent hourly costs c_(hourly) to determine how to adjust the hourlycost c_(hourly) at periodic times during the course of the year. Thisallows maintenance contracts module 918 to incorporate feedback as tohow many of the base hours t_(base) have actually been used as opposedto how many were expected to be used. Maintenance contracts module 918can update the hourly cost C_(hourly) throughout the year based on theactual number of run hours of the assets covered by the maintenancecontracts.

In some embodiments, maintenance contracts module 918 is configured toaccount for the cost of maintenance contracts in terms of the totalproduction of the asset rather than run hours. Total production can bedefined as the amount of one or more resources produced by an asset. Forexample, the total production of a chiller may be the amount of chilledwater produced by the chiller or the amount of cooling energy (e.g.,tons) produced by the chiller over a given time period. Similarly, thetotal production of a boiler may be the amount of hot water produced bythe boiler or the amount of heating energy (e.g., kWh) produced by theboiler over a given time period.

A maintenance contract may specify a base cost c_(base) which covers abase amount of production

_(base) and a marginal cost c_(m) for each unit of production exceedingthe base production

_(base). For example, the contract might stipulate $10,000 dollars forthe first 100,000 kWh of production and an additional $0.1 per kWhexceeding 100,000 kWh. The maintenance cost can be expressed as apiecewise-defined function, as shown in the following equation:

AnnualCost = { c base < base c base + c m  ( - base ) ≥ base

where AnnualCost is the total maintenance cost per year, c_(base) is thebase cost,

_(base) is the base amount of production covered by the base costc_(base), c_(m) is the marginal cost for each unit of productionexceeding the base amount of production

_(base), and

is the amount of production of the asset.

To account for the cost of maintenance contracts in terms of totalproduction, maintenance contracts module 918 can augment the costfunction J(x) with a maintenance cost term that defines maintenance costin terms of the production of the asset. An example of a modified costfunction J_(a) (x) which can be generated by maintenance contractsmodule 918 is shown in the following equation:

${J_{a}(x)} = {{J(x)} + {\sum\limits_{k \in {horizon}}{c_{p}p_{k}}}}$

where J(x) is the original cost function, c_(p) is the cost ofmaintenance per unit of production (e.g., $/kWh of energy, $/liter ofhot or chilled water, etc.), and P_(k) is a variable representing theproduction the asset at hour k of the optimization period. Maintenancecontracts module 918 can be configured to determine the value of c_(p)that will yield the optimal solution to the high level optimizationproblem.

Maintenance contracts module 918 can use the same techniques to accountfor the cost of maintenance contracts, regardless of whether themaintenance contracts define maintenance cost in terms of run hours ortotal production. For example, the variables

,

_(base), c_(p), and p_(k) can be used in place of the variables t,t_(base), c_(hourly), and b_(k), respectively, in any of the systems andmethods described herein to account for maintenance costs in terms oftotal production. These and other features of maintenance contractsmodule 918 are described in greater detail with reference to FIGS.10-21B.

Subplant Curve Incorporation

Still referring to FIG. 9, high level optimizer 632 is shown to includea subplant curves module 930. In the simplest case, it can be assumedthat the resource consumption of each subplant is a linear function ofthe thermal energy load produced by the subplant. However, thisassumption may not be true for some subplant equipment, much less for anentire subplant. Subplant curves module 930 may be configured to modifythe high level optimization problem to account for subplants that have anonlinear relationship between resource consumption and load production.

Subplant curves module 930 is shown to include a subplant curve updater932, a subplant curves database 934, a subplant curve linearizer 936,and a subplant curves incorporator 938. Subplant curve updater 932 maybe configured to request subplant curves for each of subplants 520-530from low level optimizer 634. Each subplant curve may indicate an amountof resource consumption by a particular subplant (e.g., electricity usemeasured in kW, water use measured in L/s, etc.) as a function of thesubplant load.

In some embodiments, low level optimizer 634 generates the subplantcurves by running the low level optimization process for variouscombinations of subplant loads and weather conditions to generatemultiple data points. Low level optimizer 634 may fit a curve to thedata points to generate the subplant curves and provide the subplantcurves to subplant curve updater 832. In other embodiments, low leveloptimizer 634 provides the data points to subplant curve updater 932 andsubplant curve updater 932 generates the subplant curves using the datapoints. Subplant curve updater 932 may store the subplant curves insubplant curves database 934 for use in the high level optimizationprocess.

In some embodiments, the subplant curves are generated by combiningefficiency curves for individual devices of a subplant. A deviceefficiency curve may indicate the amount of resource consumption by thedevice as a function of load. The device efficiency curves may beprovided by a device manufacturer or generated using experimental data.In some embodiments, the device efficiency curves are based on aninitial efficiency curve provided by a device manufacturer and updatedusing experimental data. The device efficiency curves may be stored inequipment models 618. For some devices, the device efficiency curves mayindicate that resource consumption is a U-shaped function of load.Accordingly, when multiple device efficiency curves are combined into asubplant curve for the entire subplant, the resultant subplant curve maybe a wavy curve. The waves are caused by a single device loading upbefore it is more efficient to turn on another device to satisfy thesubplant load.

Subplant curve linearizer 936 may be configured to convert the subplantcurves into convex curves. A convex curve is a curve for which a lineconnecting any two points on the curve is always above or along thecurve (i.e., not below the curve). Convex curves may be advantageous foruse in the high level optimization because they allow for anoptimization process that is less computationally expensive relative toan optimization process that uses non-convex functions. Subplant curvelinearizer 936 may be configured to break the subplant curves intopiecewise linear segments that combine to form a piecewise-definedconvex curve. Subplant curve linearizer 936 may store the linearizedsubplant curves in subplant curves database 934.

Subplant curve incorporator 938 may be configured to modify the highlevel optimization problem to incorporate the subplant curves into theoptimization. In some embodiments, subplant curve incorporator 938modifies the decision variables to include one or more decision vectorsrepresenting the resource consumption of each subplant. Subplant curveincorporator 938 may modify the inequality constraints to ensure thatthe proper amount of each resource is consumed to serve the predictedthermal energy loads. In some embodiments, subplant curve incorporator938 formulates inequality constraints that force the resource usage foreach resource in the epigraph of the corresponding linearized subplantcurve. For example, chiller subplant 522 may have a linearized subplantcurve that indicates the electricity use of chiller subplant 522 (i.e.,input resource in₁) as a function of the cold water production ofchiller subplant 522 (i.e., output resource out₁). The linearizedsubplant curve may include a first line segment connecting point [u₁,Q₁] to point [u₂, Q₂], a second line segment connecting point [u₂, Q₂]to point [u₃, Q₃], and a third line segment connecting point [u₃, Q₃] topoint [u₄, Q₄].

Subplant curve incorporator 938 may formulate an inequality constraintfor each piecewise segment of the subplant curve that constrains thevalue of the decision variable representing chiller electricity use tobe greater than or equal to the amount of electricity use defined by theline segment for the corresponding value of the cold water production.Similar inequality constraints can be formulated for other subplantcurves. For example, subplant curve incorporator 938 may generate a setof inequality constraints for the water consumption of chiller subplant522 using the points defining the linearized subplant curve for thewater consumption of chiller subplant 522 as a function of cold waterproduction. In some embodiments, the water consumption of chillersubplant 522 is equal to the cold water production and the linearizedsubplant curve for water consumption includes a single line segmentconnecting point [u₅, Q₅] to point [u₆, Q₆]. Subplant curve incorporator938 may repeat this process for each subplant curve for chiller subplant522 and for the other subplants of the central plant to define a set ofinequality constraints for each subplant curve.

The inequality constraints generated by subplant curve incorporator 938ensure that high level optimizer 632 keeps the resource consumptionabove all of the line segments of the corresponding subplant curve. Inmost situations, there is no reason for high level optimizer 632 tochoose a resource consumption value that lies above the correspondingsubplant curve due to the economic cost associated with resourceconsumption. High level optimizer 632 can therefore be expected toselect resource consumption values that lie on the correspondingsubplant curve rather than above it.

The exception to this general rule is heat recovery chiller subplant523. The equality constraints for heat recovery chiller subplant 523provide that heat recovery chiller subplant 523 produces hot water at arate equal to the subplant's cold water production plus the subplant'selectricity use. The inequality constraints generated by subplant curveincorporator 938 for heat recovery chiller subplant 523 allow high leveloptimizer 632 to overuse electricity to make more hot water withoutincreasing the amount of cold water production. This behavior isextremely inefficient and only becomes a realistic possibility when thedemand for hot water is high and cannot be met using more efficienttechniques. However, this is not how heat recovery chiller subplant 523actually operates.

To prevent high level optimizer 632 from overusing electricity, subplantcurve incorporator 938 may check whether the calculated amount ofelectricity use (determined by the optimization algorithm) for heatrecovery chiller subplant 523 is above the corresponding subplant curve.In some embodiments, the check is performed after each iteration of theoptimization algorithm. If the calculated amount of electricity use forheat recovery chiller subplant 523 is above the subplant curve, subplantcurve incorporator 938 may determine that high level optimizer 632 isoverusing electricity. In response to a determination that high leveloptimizer 632 is overusing electricity, subplant curve incorporator 938may constrain the production of heat recovery chiller subplant 523 atits current value and constrain the electricity use of subplant 523 tothe corresponding value on the subplant curve. High level optimizer 632may then rerun the optimization with the new equality constraints. Theseand other features of subplant curves module 930 are described ingreater detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/634,609 filed Feb.27, 2015, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by referenceherein.

Maintenance Contracts Module

Referring now to FIG. 10, a block diagram illustrating maintenancecontracts module 918 in greater detail is shown, according to anexemplary embodiment. Maintenance contracts module 918 can be configuredto modify the cost function J(x) to include a maintenance cost term. Themaintenance cost term may account for the cost of performing maintenanceon one or more assets 1004 covered by a maintenance contract. An exampleof a maintenance cost term which can be generated by maintenancecontracts module 918 is:

$\sum\limits_{k \in {horizon}}{c_{hourly}b_{k}}$

where c_(hourly) is the hourly cost of maintenance and b_(k) is a binaryvariable representing the on/off state of the assets 1004 covered by themaintenance contract at hour k. The binary variable b_(k) for each hourk may be treated as decision variables to be optimized by high leveloptimizer 632 as part of the high level optimization process. The hourlycost of maintenance C_(hourly) can be determined by maintenancecontracts module 918 prior to performing the high level optimizationprocess.

Maintenance contracts module 918 can add the maintenance cost term tothe cost function J(x) to generate an augmented cost function J_(a)(x),as shown in the following equation:

${J_{a}(x)} = {{J(x)} + {\sum\limits_{k \in {horizon}}{c_{hourly}b_{k}}}}$

The augmented cost function J_(a) (x) can be optimized by a costfunction optimizer 1020 to determine optimal values for the binarydecision variables b_(k) at each hour k of the optimization period,along with other decision variables in the cost function J(x).

As described above, the true maintenance cost may be based on the numberof run hours of the covered assets 1004. For example, the maintenancecost can be expressed as a piecewise-defined function, as shown in thefollowing equation:

${AnnualCost} = \left\{ \begin{matrix}c_{base} & {t < t_{base}} \\{c_{base} + {c_{m}\left( {t - t_{base}} \right)}} & {t \geq t_{base}}\end{matrix} \right.$

where AnnualCost is the total maintenance cost per year, c_(base) is thebase cost, t_(base) is the base number of hours covered by the base costc_(base), c_(m) is the marginal cost for each run hour exceeding thebase number of run hours t_(base), and t is the number of run hours ofthe covered assets 1004. Maintenance contracts module 918 can beconfigured to determine a value of c_(hourly) that captures the truemaintenance cost in a manner that allows high level optimizer 632 todetermine optimal values of the binary decision variables b_(k).

Still referring to FIG. 10, maintenance contracts module 918 is shown toinclude an hourly cost optimizer 1010. Hourly cost optimizer 1010 can beconfigured to determine the value of the hourly cost c_(hourly) toinclude in the maintenance cost term of the augmented cost functionJ_(a)(x). Hourly cost optimizer 1010 can determine a value of c_(hourly)that accounts for an annual cost that is a function of both a base costc_(base) and the number run hours of the covered assets 1004 in excessof a base number of run hours t_(base).

Consider a maintenance contract specifying the annual cost as shown inthe previous piecewise-defined function. If the high level optimizationwere simulated over a year, there are three potential optimal solutions:

1. The optimal solution includes running covered assets 1004 for lessthan t_(base) run hours.

2. The optimal solution includes running covered assets 1004 for morethan t_(base) run hours.

3. The optimal solution includes running covered assets 1004 for exactlyt_(base) run hours.

This trichotomy is specifically called out because each scenario has aparticular way of finding the best value for C_(hourly).

Scenario 1

If the optimal solution were to run the covered assets 1004 for lessthan t_(base), then the best value for C_(hourly) is zero. Considerrunning the high level optimization over a year with the hourly cost setto zero (i.e., C_(hourly)=0). If this simulation were to obtain a totalrun time less than t_(base), then this is the optimal solution becausethe owner of assets 1004 is in actuality paying zero additional dollarsper run hour. In other words, the actual marginal cost c_(m) is equal tothe hourly cost c_(hourly) used by the optimization (i.e.,c_(hourly)=c_(m)=0). The base cost c_(base) is already a sunk cost(i.e., an offset) and need not be considered in the optimization.

On the other hand, the simulation with c_(hourly)=0 may obtain a totalrun time greater than t_(base). In this case, the simulation is unlikelyto be optimal because the owner of assets 1004 is paying c_(m) per runhour above t_(base), but high level optimizer 632 is not penalizingthese run hours in any way. Thus, a run hour that provided a positivebenefit that is less than the marginal cost c_(m) for running assets1004 would be executed, making the annual run suboptimal.

Scenario 2

If the optimal solution were to run the covered assets 1004 for morethan t_(base), then the best value for c_(hourly) is c_(m). Considerrunning the high level optimization over a year with the hourly cost setto c_(m) (i.e., c_(hourly)=c_(m)). If this simulation were to obtain atotal run time more than t_(base), then this is the optimal solutionbecause high level optimizer 632 is actually over-penalizing the numberof run hours. The base number of run hours t_(base) built into thecontract would be charged a marginal cost of c_(m) by high leveloptimizer 632 when in actuality the owner of assets 1004 does not paythe marginal cost c_(m) for the run hours within t_(base). If the highlevel optimization still selects a number of run hours greater thant_(base) despite the over-penalization, then the selected number of runhours is optimal.

On the other hand, the simulation with c_(hourly)=c_(m) may obtain atotal run time less than t_(base). In this case, the simulation isunlikely to be optimal because the owner of assets 1004 would pay zerocost for the additional run hours up to t_(base), but high leveloptimizer 632 is penalizing those run hours at the marginal rate c_(m).Thus, a run hour within the base number of run hours t_(base) thatprovided a positive benefit that is less than c_(m) for running assets1004 would not be executed, making the annual run suboptimal.

Scenario 3

If neither an annual simulation with c_(hourly)=0 yields a runtime lessthan t_(base) nor an annual simulation with c_(hourly)=c_(m) yields arun time of more than t_(base) neither scenario 1 nor scenario 2 istrue), then the optimal runtime is exactly t_(base). The problem nowbecomes which of the t_(base) hours provide the maximum benefit. Thiscan be found by varying the hourly cost c_(hourly). The optimal numberof hours is t_(base) and the optimal hours to run are those that providea benefit greater than or equal to c_(hourly) that causes exactlyt_(base) run hours to be selected by high level optimizer 632.

Still referring to FIG. 10, hourly cost optimizer 1010 is shown toinclude a planning mode optimizer 1012, an operational mode optimizer1014, and a continuous updater 1016. Planning mode optimizer 1012 can beconfigured to determine the optimal value of c_(hourly) when operatingin a planning mode (i.e., an offline mode). Operational mode optimizer1014 can be configured to periodically update the value of C_(hourly)when operating in an operational mode (i.e., an online mode). Continuousupdater 1016 can be configured to continuously update C_(hourly) aftereach hour k when operating in the operational mode.

Both the planning mode and the operational mode may revolve aroundperforming a planning simulation with several different hourly costsC_(hourly) and generating a run hour curve as a function of the hourlycost C_(hourly). For example, hourly cost optimizer 1010 can generateseveral different values of C_(hourly) between C_(hourly)=0 andC_(hourly)=C_(m). Each value of c_(hourly) can be provided tomaintenance cost term generator 1008. Maintenance cost term generator1008 can use the values of C_(hourly) to generate several differentmaintenance cost terms in the augmented cost function J_(a)(x). Eachmaintenance cost term may have the form Σ_(k∈horizon)c_(hourly)b_(k) andmay include a different value of C_(hourly). Maintenance cost termgenerator 1008 may provide all of the maintenance cost terms to costfunction augmenter 1006.

Cost function augmenter 1006 may add each of the maintenance cost termsto the original cost function J(x) provided by cost function module 902to generate several different augmented cost functions J_(a)(x). Eachaugmented cost function J_(a)(x) may be a linear combination of theoriginal cost function J(x) and one of the maintenance cost terms. Costfunction optimizer 1020 can optimize each augmented cost functionJ_(a)(x) to determine optimal values for the binary decision variablesb_(k). Each set of optimized binary decision variables b_(k) maycorrespond to one of the values of c_(hourly) and may indicate theplanned run hours for assets 1004 at the corresponding hourly cost valuec_(hourly). Cost function optimizer 1020 can provide the sets ofoptimized binary decision variables b_(k) and/or the total number of runhours indicated by each set of binary decision variables b_(k) to runhour curve generator 1018.

Run hour curve generator 1018 can be configured to generate a run hourcurve using the hourly cost values c_(hourly) and the resulting numberof run hours determined by cost function optimizer 1020. An example of arun hour curve 1100 which can be generated by run hour curve generator1018 is shown in FIG. 11. Run hour curve 1100 identifies therelationship between the estimated number of run hours in the plan(vertical axis) and the hourly cost per run hour (horizontal axis). Insome embodiments, run hour curve generator 1018 generates run hour curve1100 by using data points provided by hourly cost optimizer 1010 andcost function optimizer 1020. Each data point may include an hourly costvalue c_(hourly) (determined by hourly cost optimizer 1010) and acorresponding number of run hours (determined by cost function optimizer1020). Run hour curve generator 1018 can interpolate between the datapoints to generate a continuous run hour curve 1100.

Planning Mode

Referring now to FIG. 12, a flowchart of a process 1200 illustrating theoperations performed by planning mode optimizer 1012 is shown, accordingto an exemplary embodiment. Planning mode optimizer 1012 may receivecontract information from a contract information database 1002 (step1202). The contract information may include the number of base hourst_(base), the marginal cost c_(m), the base cost C_(base), and/or otherinformation specified by a maintenance contract for assets 1004.

Planning mode optimizer 1012 can set c_(hourly) equal to c_(m) and runthe plan (step 1204). Running the plan may include using the value ofc_(hourly) to generate a maintenance cost term, modifying the costfunction J(x) to include the maintenance cost term, and optimizing theaugmented cost function J_(a)(x) to determine the corresponding numberof run hours t_(plan). Planning mode optimizer 1012 may compare theplanned number of run hours t_(plan) to the base number of run hourst_(base)(step 1206). If the number of run hours t_(plan) is greater thanthe base number of run hours t_(base) (i.e., the result of step 1206 is“yes”), planning mode optimizer 1012 may determine that the planned runhours are optimal. However, if the number of run hours t_(plan) is notgreater than the base number of run hours t_(base) (i.e., the result ofstep 1206 is “no”), planning mode optimizer 1012 may proceed to step1208.

Planning mode optimizer 1012 can set C_(hourly) equal to zero and runthe plan (step 1208). As before, running the plan may include using thevalue of C_(hourly) to generate a maintenance cost term, modifying thecost function J(x) to include the maintenance cost term, and optimizingthe augmented cost function J_(a)(X) to determine the correspondingnumber of run hours t_(plan). Planning mode optimizer 1012 may comparethe planned number of run hours t_(plan) to the base number of run hourst_(base) (step 1210). If the number of run hours t_(plan) is less thanthe base number of run hours t_(base) (i.e., the result of step 1210 is“yes”), planning mode optimizer 1012 may determine that the planned runhours are optimal. However, if the number of run hours t_(plan) is notless than the base number of run hours t_(base) (i.e., the result ofstep 1210 is “no”), planning mode optimizer 1012 may proceed to step1212.

Planning mode optimizer 1012 can generate multiple values of C_(hourly)between C_(hourly)=0 and C_(hourly)=C_(m) (step 1212). In someembodiments, step 1212 includes adding a predetermined increment inc toeach value of C_(hourly) to generate the next value of C_(hourly). Forexample, planning mode optimizer 1012 can add an increment of inc=5 tothe initial value of C_(hourly)=0 to generate the value C_(hourly)=5.Planning mode optimizer 1012 can add the increment of inc=5 to the newvalue of C_(hourly)=5 to generate the value C_(hourly)=10. This processcan be repeated until C_(hourly)=C_(m). In some embodiments, the valueof inc is a predetermined percentage of c_(m) (e.g., 1%, 5%, 10%, etc.)such that a fixed number of values of C_(hourly) are generated betweenC_(hourly)=0 and C_(hourly)=C_(m).

Planning mode optimizer 1012 can run the plan using each of the valuesof C_(hourly) generated in step 1212. As before, running the plan mayinclude using the value of C_(hourly) to generate a maintenance costterm, modifying the cost function J(x) to include the maintenance costterm, and optimizing the augmented cost function J_(a)(x) to determinethe corresponding number of run hours t_(plan). By running the plan foreach value of c_(hourly), planning mode optimizer 1012 can generate acorresponding value of t_(plan). Planning mode optimizer 1012 can usethe values of C_(hourly) and the corresponding values of t_(plan) togenerate a run hour curve (step 1214). The run hour curve may define arelationship between t_(plan) and C_(hourly). An example of a run hourcurve which can be generated in step 1214 is shown in FIG. 11.

Planning mode optimizer 1012 can use the run hour curve to determine anhourly cost value c* that corresponds to the base number of run hourst_(base) (step 1216). Step 1216 may include finding a point along therun hour curve that includes the base number of run hours t_(base) andidentifying the hourly cost value c* of that point. Planning modeoptimizer 1012 can set C_(hourly) equal to c*and run the plan (step1218). As before, running the plan may include using the value ofC_(hourly) to generate a maintenance cost term, modifying the costfunction J(x) to include the maintenance cost term, and optimizing theaugmented cost function J_(a)(x) to determine the corresponding numberof run hours t_(plan). The run hours determined in step 1218 may be theoptimal run hours.

In some embodiments, planning mode optimizer 1012 may compare the numberof run hours t_(plan) determined in step 1218 to the base number of runhours t_(base). If the difference between t_(plan) and t_(base) is lessthan a threshold value, planning mode optimizer 1012 may determine thatthe planned run hours determined in step 1218 are optimal. However, ifthe difference between t_(plan) and t_(base) are not less than thethreshold value, planning mode optimizer 1012 may update the hourly costvalue c* to obtain a number of run hours t_(plan) closer to the basenumber of run hours t_(base). For example, planning mode optimizer 1012can regenerate a portion of the run hour curve around c* using smallerincrements of the hourly cost value C_(hourly). The smaller incrementsmay result in a run hour curve with higher resolution around the hourlycost value c* to allow for more accurate interpolation. Steps 1212-1218can be repeated until the number of run hours t_(plan) determined instep 1218 is sufficiently close to the base number of run hours t_(base)(e.g., within a threshold).

Planning Mode Examples

Consider, for example, a maintenance contract with t_(base)=3000 hours,c_(m)=50 $/hour, and an asset with the run hour curve 1100 shown in FIG.11. In this case, the hourly cost c_(hourly) will be set to 50 $/hour instep 1204. Running the plan with a value of c_(hourly)=50 $/hour mayresult in 3600 run hours in the plan (i.e., t_(plan)=3600). Becauset_(plan)>t_(base) (i.e. the 3600 plan hours are greater than the 3000base hours), the plan hours are determined to be optimal in step 1206.

Consider another maintenance contract with t_(base)=7100 hours, c_(m)=50$/hour, and an asset with the run hour curve 1100 shown in FIG. 11. Thehourly cost c_(hourly) will still be set to 50 $/hour in step 1204.Running the plan with a value of c_(hourly)=50 $/hour may result in 3600run hours in the plan (i.e., t_(plan)=3600). Because t_(plan)<t_(base)the 3600 plan hours are less than the 7100 base hours), the plan hoursare not determined to be optimal in step 1206 and process 1200 proceedsto step 1208. In this case, the hourly cost c_(hourly) will be set to 0$/hour in step 1208. Running the plan with a value of c_(hourly)=0$/hour may result in 7000 run hours in the plan (i.e., t_(plan)=7000).Because t_(plan)<t_(base) the 7000 plan hours are less than the 7100base hours), the plan hours are determined to be optimal in step 1210.

Finally, consider another maintenance contract with t_(base)=5000 hours,c_(m)=50 $/hour, and an asset with the run hour curve 1100 shown in FIG.11. The tests performed in step 1206 and step 1210 will both fail. Asweep of hourly cost values c_(hourly) can be performed in step 1212 togenerate the entire run hour curve 1100. From run hour curve 1100, itcan be seen that the base number of run hours (i.e., t_(base)=5000hours) occurs at approximately 21.5 $/hour. Accordingly, the variable c*can be set to c*=21.5 $/hour in step 1218 and the plan can be run withan hourly cost value of c_(hourly)=c*=21.5 $/hour. For the case of theexample, it will be assumed that this run yields 4953 run hours of thedevice. This is 47 hours away from the optimal number of hours (i.e.,5000−4953=47). If this is close enough, planning mode optimizer 1012 mayend process 1200. If not, then the hourly cost c_(hourly) may bedecreased and step 1218 can be repeated until some number of run hourscloser to 5000 is obtained.

Operational Mode

Referring now to FIGS. 13-14, flowchart of processes 1300 and 1400illustrating the operations performed by operational mode optimizer 1014is shown, according to an exemplary embodiment. Process 1300 can beperformed by operational mode optimizer 1014 when operating in anoffline mode, whereas process 1400 can be performed by operational modeoptimizer 1014 when operating in an online mode. In some embodiments,the planning mode process 1200 is performed prior to either of theoperational mode processes 1300-1400. Thus, a starting value for thehourly cost c_(hourly) may already have been calculated by planning modemodule 1012, which may be optimal to use given the data in the plan. Thehourly cost value C_(hourly) calculated by planning mode module 1012 canbe used as a starting point for operational mode optimizer 1014.

In some embodiments, operational mode optimizer 1014 is configured touse feedback regarding the actual run hours of assets 1004 to update thehourly cost value C_(hourly) at periodic intervals. This is a differencerelative to planning mode optimizer 1012 which operates entirelyoffline. Periodically throughout the year, operational mode optimizer1014 can recalculate the optimal value of c_(hourly) for the remainingamount of time in the year. The optimization performed by operationalmode optimizer 1014 may be similar to the optimization performed byplanning mode optimizer 1012. However, operational mode optimizer 1014may use the remaining number of run hours in the maintenance contractt_(remaining) in place of the base number of run hours t_(base) whenselecting the value of c*.

In some embodiments, operational mode optimizer 1014 is configured tocalculate the remaining number of run hours t_(remaining) using thefollowing equation:

t _(remaining) =t _(base) −t _(YTD)

where t_(base) is the total number of run hours specified by themaintenance contract and t_(YTD) is the number of run hours already usedin the year-to-date. At the beginning of the year, the value of t_(YTD)can be estimated at various times throughout the year based on theestimated run hours determined by planning mode optimizer 1012. Duringthe year, feedback can be collected from assets 1004 which indicates theactual number of run hours of assets 1004. The feedback from assets 1004can be used to determine the actual value of t_(YTD) for use in updatingt_(remaining) periodically throughout the year.

Referring particularly to FIG. 13, a flowchart of a process 1300performed by operational mode optimizer 1014 in the offline mode isshown, according to an exemplary embodiment. In some embodiments,process 1300 is performed once at the beginning of the year. Operationalmode optimizer 1014 may receive contract information from a contractinformation database 1002 (step 1302). The contract information mayinclude the number of base hours t_(base), the marginal cost c_(m), thebase cost c_(base), and/or other information specified by a maintenancecontract for assets 1004.

Operational mode optimizer 1014 can generate multiple values ofC_(hourly) between C_(hourly)=0 and C_(hourly)=C_(m) (step 1304). Insome embodiments, step 1304 includes adding a predetermined incrementinc to each value of C_(hourly) to generate the next value ofC_(hourly). For example, operational mode optimizer 1014 can add anincrement of inc=5 to the initial value of C_(hourly)=0 to generate thevalue C_(hourly)=5. Operational mode optimizer 1014 can add theincrement of inc=5 to the new value of C_(hourly)=5 to generate thevalue C_(hourly)=10. This process can be repeated untilC_(hourly)=C_(m). In some embodiments, the value of inc is apredetermined percentage of c_(m) (e.g., 1%, 5%, 10%, etc.) such that afixed number of values of C_(hourly) are generated between C_(hourly)=0and C_(hourly)=C_(m).

Operational mode optimizer 1014 can run the plan using each of thevalues of C_(hourly) generated in step 1304. Running the plan mayinclude using the value of C_(hourly) to generate a maintenance costterm, modifying the cost function J(x) to include the maintenance costterm, and optimizing the augmented cost function J_(a)(x) to determinethe corresponding number of run hours t_(plan). By running the plan foreach value of C_(hourly), operational mode optimizer 1014 can generate acorresponding value of t_(plan). Planning mode optimizer 1012 can usethe values of C_(hourly) and the corresponding values of t_(plan) togenerate a run hour curve (step 1306). The run hour curve may define arelationship between t_(plan) and C_(hourly). An example of a run hourcurve which can be generated in step 1306 is shown in FIG. 15.

In step 1306, operational mode optimizer 1014 can generate a run hourcurve for each time that C_(hourly) is to be recalculated during theyear. Each run hour curve may cover the time period beginning at thetime C_(hourly) will be recalculated and ending at the end of the year.For example, if C_(hourly) is to be recalculated every 1.5 months, thena total of 8 run hour curves can be generated in step 1306. The firstrun hour curve may cover the time period from January 1-December 31, thesecond run hour curve may cover the time period from February15-December 31, the third run hour curve may cover the time period fromApril 1-December 31, and so on.

Rather than repeating process 1300 periodically throughout the year, allthe run hour curves generated in step 1306 can be created at thebeginning of the year and saved to perform the periodic recalculationsof c_(hourly). The run hour curves generated in step 1306 (denoted t(c,k) as these curves are now a function of iteration) can be used toperform the periodic recalculation of C_(hourly) with no additionalplanning simulations at the end of each period. In fact, it doesn'trequire any additional planning simulations in general, as all the runhour curves can be generated for a fixed hourly cost from a singlesimulation.

Referring particularly to FIG. 13, a flowchart of a process 1400performed by operational mode optimizer 1014 in the online mode isshown, according to an exemplary embodiment. In some embodiments,process 1400 is repeated periodically throughout the year to updatec_(hourly). For example, process 1400 can be performed at the beginningof each of the time periods corresponding to the run hour curvesgenerated by process 1300 (e.g., February 15, April 1, May 15, etc.).

At the beginning of each time period, operational mode optimizer 1014may calculate t_(remaining) (step 1402). t_(remaining) can be calculatedby subtracting the actual number of run hours t_(YTD) of assets 1004that have been used in the year-to-date from the base number of runhours t_(base) specified by the maintenance contract (i.e.,t_(remaining)=t_(base)−t_(YTD)). For example, if step 1402 is performedat April 1, t_(YTD) may be the number of run hours used in the timeperiod from January 1-March 31. Feedback from assets 1004 or from abuilding management system that monitors and controls assets 1004 can beused to determine the actual number of run hours t_(YTD) used in theyear-to-date.

Operational mode optimizer 1014 can use the run hour curve for theremaining time period to determine an hourly cost value c* thatcorresponds to the calculated number of run hours t_(remaining)remaining (step 1404). Step 1404 may include finding a point along therun hour curve that includes the remaining number of run hourst_(remaining) and identifying the hourly cost value c* of that point.Operational mode optimizer 1014 can update C_(hourly) to be equal to thevalue of c* (step 1406). The updated value of C_(hourly) can then beused to run the plan to determine the optimal run hours. As before,running the plan may include using the value of C_(hourly) to generate amaintenance cost term, modifying the cost function J(x) to include themaintenance cost term, and optimizing the augmented cost functionJ_(a)(x) to determine the optimal hours at which to run assets 1004.

Continuous Update

Referring now to FIGS. 16-19, several graphs 1600-1900 illustrating theoperations performed by continuous updater 1016 are shown, according toan exemplary embodiment. Continuous updater 1016 can be configured tocontinuously update the value of C_(hourly) with each iteration (i.e.,after each time step) of the high level optimization process. In someembodiments, continuous updater 1016 updates the value of C_(hourly) byperforming processes 1300-1400 after every iteration of theoptimization. For example, continuous updater 1016 can generate a runhour curve that corresponds to each time step in the optimization period(e.g., each hour) in process 1300 and may recalculate C_(hourly) byperforming process 1400 after each time step.

In some embodiments, continuous updater 1016 updates the value ofc_(hourly) from time step k to time step k+1 using the derivative of therun hour curve t(c, k) with respect to hourly cost

$\left( {{i.e.},\frac{\partial t}{\partial c}} \right).$

The notation t(c, k) is used to denote the run hour curve for the timeperiod that begins at time step k and ends at the end of the year (i.e.,the run hour curve for time step k). As described above, each run hourcurve t(c, k) may express the estimated number of run hours t as afunction of the hourly cost c. Accordingly the derivative

$\frac{\partial t}{\partial c}$

may be equivalent the slope or gradient of the run hour curve t(c, k)with respect to hourly cost c_(hourly).

Continuous updater 1016 can calculate the hourly cost c_(k+1)* at timestep k+1 as an iterative function of the hourly cost c_(k)* at time stepk. In some embodiments, continuous updater 1016 calculates c_(k+1)*using the following equation:

$c_{k + 1}^{*} = {c_{k}^{*} + {\Delta \; t\left\{ \frac{\partial t}{\partial c} \right\}_{k,c^{*}}^{- 1}}}$

where c_(k)* is the hourly cost at time step k,

$\left\{ \frac{\partial t}{\partial c} \right\}_{k,c^{*}}$

is the derivative of me run hour curve t(c, k) for time step k at thelocation of the hourly cost c_(k)*, and Δt is the difference between theplanned number of run hours during time step k and the actual number ofrun hours during time step k (i.e., Δt=planned run hours−actual runhours). For example, if assets 1004 were planned to use five run hoursduring time step k but did not actually run during time step k (i.e.,used zero run hours), the value of Δt would be Δt=5. Similarly, ifassets were planned to remain off during time step k (i.e., planned touse zero run hours) but actually ran during time step k using five runhours, the value of Δt would be Δt=−5.

Continuous Update Examples

Referring particularly to FIG. 16, consider an optimization systemrunning online at hour k into the year. Assume that the planningsimulation at hour k showed it was optimal to run a given device duringhour k. In other words, the planned number of run hours for the deviceduring hour k is equal to 1. Moving from the beginning of hour k to thebeginning of hour k+1, the remaining number of run hours t_(remaining)is planned to decrease by 1 run hour because 1 run hour would be usedduring hour k. Accordingly, the run hour curve 1604 for hour k+1 isshifted downward in graph 1600 relative to the run hour curve 1602 forhour k by 1 run hour because the estimated number of run hours remainingin the plan t_(remaining) is planned to decrease by 1 run hour.

If the device does not actually run during hour k, the remaining numberof remaining run hours t_(remaining) built into the contract does notchange. Thus, the actual number of run hours remaining at hour k (i.e.,t_(r,k)) will be equal to the actual number of run hours remaining athour k+1 (i.e., t_(r,k+1)), as shown in graph 1600. Continuous updater1016 can use the run hour curve 1604 for hour k+1 and the value oft_(r,k+1) to identify the corresponding value of the hourly costc_(k+1)* at hour k+1. As shown in graph 1600, the value of c_(k+1)* willbe less than the value of c_(k)*. The amount of the decrease in thehourly cost value is equal to the inverse of the slope of the run hourcurve 1602 multiplied by the duration of the time step between hour kand hour k+1 (because run hour curves 1602 and 1604 are separated by therun time difference between hour k and hour k+1).

For the scenario shown in graph 1600, the difference between the plannedrun time during hour k (i.e., 1 hour) and the actual run time duringhour k (i.e., 0 hours) is equal to 1 run hour. In other words, Δt=1hour. Accordingly, continuous updater 1016 can update the hourly costvalue using the equation:

$c_{k + 1}^{*} = {c_{k}^{*} + {\Delta \; t\left\{ \frac{\partial t}{\partial c} \right\}_{k,c^{*}}^{- 1}}}$

where the sign of the derivative

$\frac{\partial t}{\partial c}$

is negative such that the addition sign in this equation results in adecrease to the hourly cost value c_(k)*.

Referring now to FIG. 17, consider another optimization system runningonline at hour k into the year. Assume that the planning simulation athour k showed it was optimal to run a given device during hour k. Inother words, the planned number of run hours for the device during hourk is equal to 1. Moving from the beginning of hour k to the beginning ofhour k+1, the remaining number of run hours t_(remaining) is planned todecrease by 1 run hour because 1 run hour would be used during hour k.Accordingly, the run hour curve 1704 for hour k+1 is shifted downward ingraph 1700 relative to the run hour curve 1702 for hour k by 1 run hourbecause the estimated number of run hours remaining in the plant_(remaining) is planned to decrease by 1 run hour.

If the device actually runs during hour k, then the remaining number ofrun hours t_(remaining) decreases by the same amount as the planneddecrease. In other words the difference between t_(r,k+1) and t_(r,k) isequivalent to the vertical shift from run hour curve 1702 to run hourcurve 1704. Continuous updater 1016 can use the run hour curve 1704 forhour k+1 and the value of t_(r,k+1) to identify the corresponding valueof the hourly cost c_(k+1)* at hour k+1. As shown in graph 1600, thevalue of c_(k+1)* will be equal to the value of c_(k)* because both therun hour curve and remaining number of run hours decrease by the sameamount.

For the scenario shown in graph 1700, the difference between the plannedrun time during hour k (i.e., 1 hour) and the actual run time duringhour k (i.e., 1 hour) is equal to 0 run hours. In other words, Δt=0hours. Accordingly, the equation:

$c_{k + 1}^{*} = {c_{k}^{*} + {\Delta \; t\left\{ \frac{\partial t}{\partial c} \right\}_{k,c^{*}}^{- 1}}}$

will result in an updated hourly cost value of c_(k+1)*=c_(k)* becauseΔt=0.

Referring now to FIG. 18, consider another optimization system runningonline at hour k into the year. Assume that the planning simulation athour k showed it was not optimal to run a given device during hour k. Inother words, the planned number of run hours for the device during hourk is equal to 0. Moving from the beginning of hour k to the beginning ofhour k+1, the remaining number of run hours t_(remaining) is planned toremain the same because 0 run hours would be used during hour k.Accordingly, the run hour curve 1802 is not shifted in graph 1800 andrepresents both the run hour curve for time step k+1 and the run hourcurve for run hour k.

If the device does not actually run during hour k, the remaining numberof remaining run hours t_(remaining) built into the contract does notchange. Thus, the actual number of run hours remaining at hour k (i.e.,t_(r,k)) will be equal to the actual number of run hours remaining athour k+1 (i.e., t_(r,k+1)), as shown in graph 1800. Continuous updater1016 can use the run hour curve 1802 and the value of t_(r,k+1) toidentify the corresponding value of the hourly cost c_(k+1)* at hourk+1. As shown in graph 1800, the value of c_(k+1)* will be equal to thevalue of c_(k)*.

For the scenario shown in graph 1800, the difference between the plannedrun time during hour k (i.e., 0 hours) and the actual run time duringhour k (i.e., 0 hours) is equal to 0 run hours. In other words, Δt=0hours. Accordingly, the equation:

$c_{k + 1}^{*} = {c_{k}^{*} + {\Delta \; t\left\{ \frac{\partial t}{\partial c} \right\}_{k,c^{*}}^{- 1}}}$

will result in an updated hourly cost value of c_(k+1)*=c_(k)* becauseΔt=0.

Referring now to FIG. 19, consider another optimization system runningonline at hour k into the year. Assume that the planning simulation athour k showed it was not optimal to run a given device during hour k. Inother words, the planned number of run hours for the device during hourk is equal to 0. Moving from the beginning of hour k to the beginning ofhour k+1, the remaining number of run hours t_(remaining) is planned toremain the same because 0 run hours would be used during hour k.Accordingly, the run hour curve 1902 is not shifted in graph 1900 andrepresents both the run hour curve for time step k+1 and the run hourcurve for run hour k.

If the device actually runs during hour k, then the remaining number ofrun hours t_(remaining) decreases by 1 run hour. In other words thedifference between t_(r,k+1) and t_(r,k) is equal to 1 run hour.Continuous updater 1016 can use the run hour curve 1902 to identify thecorresponding value of the hourly cost c_(k+1)* at hour k+1. As shown ingraph 1900, the value of c_(k+1)* will be greater than the value ofc_(k)* because run hour curve 1902 has a negative slope.

For the scenario shown in graph 1900, the difference between the plannedrun time during hour k (i.e., 0 hours) and the actual run time duringhour k (i.e., 1 hour) is equal to −1 run hour. In other words, Δt=−1hour. Accordingly, continuous updater 1016 can update the hourly costvalue using the equation:

$c_{k + 1}^{*} = {c_{k}^{*} + {\Delta \; t\left\{ \frac{\partial t}{\partial c} \right\}_{k,c^{*}}^{- 1}}}$

where both the derivative

$\frac{\partial t}{\partial c}$

and Δt are negative such that the addition sign in this equation resultsin an increase to the hourly cost value c_(k)*.

Advantageously, continuous updater 1016 can use the iterative updatingtechnique described herein to update the value of c_(hourly) after eachtime iteration. All that is required is the derivative

$\frac{\partial t}{\partial c}$

of the function of the remaining hours in the plan as a function of thecurrent hourly cost c_(k)* at the current iteration as well as aplanning simulation that shows the planned on/off state of the devicefor every iteration of the year and for every cost.

On/Off State Estimation

Referring now to FIG. 20, a graph 2000 illustrating a technique forestimating the on/off state of assets 1004 is shown, according to anexemplary embodiment. Continuous updater 1016 can be configured toestimate the on/off state of assets 1004 in order to determine whetherthe actual run hours of assets 1004 is equal to the planned run hours ofassets 1004 at each time step. It can be difficult to accuratelydetermine the on/off state at every cost, as the binary function thatindicates on/off states may be discontinuous. For example, assets 1004may have binary on/off states (i.e., either on or off), represented bypoints 2002 having a value of either 0 or 1.

Continuous updater 1016 can approximate the discontinuous function shownin graph 2000 with a value linearly interpolated between the hourlycosts that define the interval where the device transitioned fromrunning to not running for that specific iteration. For example, let thebinary on/off function be denoted b(c, k). In this approximation, thefunction b is allowed to take on intermediate values between 0 and 1.For example, b(c, k) could take on the form shown by line 2004. It ispossible to approximate b to arbitrary precision by running the planningsimulations for more hourly costs.

Referring now to FIGS. 21A-21B, continuous updater 1016 can use thelinear approximation shown in graph 2000 to determine that the run hourcurve 2104 at hour k+1 changes by an amount b(c, k) relative to the runhour curve at hour k (as shown in graph 2100). The variable b(c*, k)represents the planned change in the remaining runtime between hours kand k+1. The actual number of remaining run hours may change by Δt_(r)based on whether the device actually runs during hour k. FIG. 21Aillustrates the scenario in which the device does not run and thereforeΔt_(r)=0 (i.e., t_(r,k+1)=t_(r,k)). FIG. 21B illustrates the scenario inwhich the device does run and therefore Δt_(r)=t_(r,k+1)−t_(r,k).

Continuous updater 1016 can update the hourly cost C_(hourly) using thefollowing equation:

$c_{k + 1}^{*} = {c_{k}^{*} + {\left\{ {{b\left( {c^{*},k} \right)} + {\Delta \; t_{r}}} \right\} \left\{ \frac{\partial t}{\partial c} \right\}_{k,c^{*}}^{- 1}}}$or$c_{k + 1}^{*} = {c_{k}^{*} + {\Delta \; t\left\{ \frac{\partial t}{\partial c} \right\}_{k,c^{*}}^{- 1}}}$

where Δt is still equal to the difference between the planned run time(possibly a fraction due to approximation) and the actual run time,b(c*, k) is equal to the planned change in the run time, and Δt_(r) isequal to the actual change in the run time (e.g.,Δt_(r)=t_(r,k+1)−t_(r,k)). In some embodiments, continuous updater 1016finds the derivative

$\frac{\partial t}{\partial c}$

by sampling the run hour curve 2102, representing the run hour curve2102 as a linear surface (e.g., each piece represented by a triangle)and using this to evaluate the derivative

$\frac{\partial t}{\partial c}$

at the point c_(k)*.

In some embodiments, continuous updater 1016 updates the hourly costc_(hourly) by performing both offline/planning steps andonline/operational steps. The offline/planning steps may include runningthe plan for several hourly costs and using plan data to determine apiecewise linear version of

$\frac{{dt}\left( {c,k} \right)}{dc}$

and b(c, k) for the device under contract. The online/operational stepsmay include calculating the difference Δt between the planned run timeand the operational run time for the device under contract and using thederivative

$\frac{{dt}\left( {c,k} \right)}{dc}$

to update the current hourly cost c_(k)* using the equation

$c_{k + 1}^{*} = {c_{k}^{*} + {\Delta \; t{\left\{ \frac{\partial t}{\partial c} \right\}_{k,c^{*}}^{- 1}.}}}$

CONFIGURATION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

The construction and arrangement of the systems and methods as shown inthe various exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. Although only afew embodiments have been described in detail in this disclosure, manymodifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes, dimensions,structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements, values ofparameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors,orientations, etc.). For example, the position of elements can bereversed or otherwise varied and the nature or number of discreteelements or positions can be altered or varied. Accordingly, all suchmodifications are intended to be included within the scope of thepresent disclosure. The order or sequence of any process or method stepscan be varied or re-sequenced according to alternative embodiments.Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions can be madein the design, operating conditions and arrangement of the exemplaryembodiments without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems and programproducts on any machine-readable media for accomplishing variousoperations. The embodiments of the present disclosure can be implementedusing existing computer processors, or by a special purpose computerprocessor for an appropriate system, incorporated for this or anotherpurpose, or by a hardwired system. Embodiments within the scope of thepresent disclosure include program products comprising machine-readablemedia for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or datastructures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be anyavailable media that can be accessed by a general purpose or specialpurpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example,such machine-readable media can comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, CD-ROMor other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magneticstorage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or storedesired program code in the form of machine-executable instructions ordata structures and which can be accessed by a general purpose orspecial purpose computer or other machine with a processor. Combinationsof the above are also included within the scope of machine-readablemedia. Machine-executable instructions include, for example,instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, specialpurpose computer, or special purpose processing machines to perform acertain function or group of functions.

Although the figures show a specific order of method steps, the order ofthe steps may differ from what is depicted. Also two or more steps canbe performed concurrently or with partial concurrence. Such variationwill depend on the software and hardware systems chosen and on designerchoice. All such variations are within the scope of the disclosure.Likewise, software implementations could be accomplished with standardprogramming techniques with rule based logic and other logic toaccomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparisonsteps and decision steps.

What is claimed is:
 1. A control system for cost optimal operation of anenergy facility including equipment covered by a maintenance contract,the control system comprising: equipment configured to operate during anoptimization period; and a controller configured to: obtain a costfunction that defines a cost of operating the energy facility over theoptimization period as a function of one or more setpoints for theequipment; modify the cost function to include a maintenance cost termthat defines a maintenance cost as a function of a rate variable and anequipment usage variable; simulate the cost of operating the energyfacility over the optimization period at each of a plurality ofdifferent values of the rate variable; select a value of the ratevariable that results in a lowest cost of operating the energy facilityover the optimization period; perform an online optimization of the costfunction with the rate variable set to the selected value to generatethe one or more setpoints for the equipment; and operate the equipmentduring the optimization period in accordance with the one or moresetpoints generated by performing the online optimization.
 2. Thecontrol system of claim 1, wherein: the equipment usage variablequantifies a total number of run hours during which the equipment areoperated over the optimization period; and the rate variable defines anhourly cost of maintenance per run hour of the equipment.
 3. The controlsystem of claim 1, wherein: the equipment usage variable quantifies atotal production of the equipment over the optimization period; and therate variable defines a cost of maintenance per unit of production ofthe equipment.
 4. The control system of claim 1, wherein the maintenancecontract defines the maintenance cost as a piecewise-defined function ofthe equipment usage variable wherein: the maintenance cost is equal to abase cost if the equipment are operated such that the equipment usagevariable is less than a base value; and the maintenance cost is equal tothe base cost plus a penalty cost if the equipment are operated suchthat the equipment usage variable is greater than or equal to the basevalue, the penalty cost comprising a product of a marginal cost and anamount by which the equipment usage variable exceeds the base value. 5.The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:determine, for each of the plurality of different values of the ratevariable, a corresponding value of the equipment usage variable thatresults from simulating the cost of operating the energy facility overthe optimization period at the corresponding value of the rate variable;identify the value of the rate variable that results in thecorresponding equipment usage variable having a value substantiallyequal to a base value of the equipment usage variable defined by themaintenance contract; and select the identified value of the ratevariable as the value of the rate variable that results in the lowestcost of operating the energy facility over the optimization period. 6.The control system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:simulate the cost of operating the energy facility over the optimizationperiod with the rate variable set to zero to determine a correspondingvalue of the equipment usage variable; determine whether thecorresponding value of the equipment usage variable is less than a basevalue of the equipment usage variable defined by the maintenancecontract; and perform the online optimization with the rate variable setto zero in response to a determination that the corresponding value ofthe equipment usage variable is less than the base value of theequipment usage variable defined by the maintenance contract.
 7. Thecontrol system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to:simulate the cost of operating the energy facility over the optimizationperiod with the rate variable set to a marginal cost defined by themaintenance contract to determine a corresponding value of the equipmentusage variable; determine whether the corresponding value of theequipment usage variable is greater than a base value of the equipmentusage variable defined by the maintenance contract; and perform theonline optimization with the rate variable set to the marginal cost inresponse to a determination that the corresponding value of theequipment usage variable is greater than the base value of the equipmentusage variable defined by the maintenance contract.
 8. The controlsystem of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to simulate thecost of operating the energy facility over the optimization period ateach of the plurality of different values of the rate variable by:setting the rate variable to each of the plurality of different values;and performing a plurality of offline optimizations of the costfunction, each offline optimization using a different version of thecost function in which the rate variable is set to one of the pluralityof different values.
 9. The control system of claim 1, wherein thecontroller is configured to: identify an expected operation of theequipment during a time step of the optimization period based on the oneor more setpoints generated by the online optimization; compare theexpected operation of the equipment during the time step with an actualoperation of the equipment during the time step; and update the value ofthe rate variable in response to the actual operation of the equipmentduring the time step differing from the expected operation of theequipment during the time step.
 10. The control system of claim 1,wherein the controller is configured to update the value of the ratevariable at a time during the optimization period by: identifying a basevalue of the equipment usage variable defined by the maintenancecontract; calculating a difference between the base value of theequipment usage variable and an amount of the equipment usage variableused between a beginning of the optimization period and the time duringthe optimization period; determining, for each of a plurality ofdifferent values of the rate variable, a corresponding value of theequipment usage variable that results from simulating the cost ofoperating the energy facility over an amount of time remaining in theoptimization period at the corresponding value of the rate variable; andselecting the value of the rate variable that results in thecorresponding value of the equipment usage variable having a valuesubstantially equal to the difference between the base value of theequipment usage variable and the amount of the equipment usage variableused between the beginning of the optimization period and the timeduring the optimization period.
 11. A method for cost optimal operationof an energy facility including equipment covered by a maintenancecontract, the method comprising: obtaining a cost function that definesa cost of operating the energy facility over the optimization period asa function of one or more setpoints for the equipment; modifying thecost function to include a maintenance cost term that defines amaintenance cost as a function of variable rate variable and anequipment usage variable; simulating the cost of operating the energyfacility over the optimization period at each of a plurality ofdifferent values of the rate variable; selecting a value of the ratevariable that results in a lowest cost of operating the energy facilityover the optimization period; performing an online optimization of thecost function with the rate variable set to the selected value togenerate the one or more setpoints for the equipment; and operating theequipment during the optimization period in accordance with the one ormore setpoints generated by performing the online optimization.
 12. Themethod of claim 11, wherein: the equipment usage variable quantifies atotal number of run hours during which the equipment are operated overthe optimization period; and the rate variable defines an hourly cost ofmaintenance per run hour of the equipment.
 13. The method of claim 11,wherein: the equipment usage variable quantifies a total production ofthe equipment over the optimization period; and the rate variabledefines a cost of maintenance per unit of production of the equipment.14. The method of claim 11, wherein the maintenance contract defines themaintenance cost as a piecewise-defined function of the equipment usagevariable wherein: the maintenance cost is equal to a base cost if theequipment are operated such that the equipment usage variable is lessthan a base value; and the maintenance cost is equal to the base costplus a penalty cost if the equipment are operated such that theequipment usage variable is greater than or equal to the base value, thepenalty cost comprising a product of a marginal cost and an amount bywhich the equipment usage variable exceeds the base value.
 15. Themethod of claim 11, comprising: determining, for each of the pluralityof different values of the rate variable, a corresponding value of theequipment usage variable that results from simulating the cost ofoperating the energy facility over the optimization period at thecorresponding value of the rate variable; identifying the value of therate variable that results in the corresponding equipment usage variablehaving a value substantially equal to a base value of the equipmentusage variable defined by the maintenance contract; and selecting theidentified value of the rate variable as the value of the rate variablethat results in the lowest cost of operating the energy facility overthe optimization period.
 16. The method of claim 11, comprising:simulating the cost of operating the energy facility over theoptimization period with the rate variable set to zero to determine acorresponding value of the equipment usage variable; determining whetherthe corresponding value of the equipment usage variable is less than abase value of the equipment usage variable defined by the maintenancecontract; and performing the online optimization with the rate variableset to zero in response to a determination that the corresponding valueof the equipment usage variable is less than the base value of theequipment usage variable defined by the maintenance contract.
 17. Themethod of claim 11, comprising: simulating the cost of operating theenergy facility over the optimization period with the rate variable setto a marginal cost defined by the maintenance contract to determine acorresponding value of the equipment usage variable; determining whetherthe corresponding value of the equipment usage variable is greater thana base value of the equipment usage variable defined by the maintenancecontract; and performing the online optimization with the rate variableset to the marginal cost in response to a determination that thecorresponding value of the equipment usage variable is greater than thebase value of the equipment usage variable defined by the maintenancecontract.
 18. The method of claim 11, wherein simulating the cost ofoperating the energy facility over the optimization period at each ofthe plurality of different values of the rate variable comprises:setting the rate variable to each of the plurality of different values;and performing a plurality of offline optimizations of the costfunction, each offline optimization using a different version of thecost function in which the rate variable is set to one of the pluralityof different values.
 19. The method of claim 11, comprising: identifyingan expected operation of the equipment during a time step of theoptimization period based on the one or more setpoints generated by theonline optimization; comparing the expected operation of the equipmentduring the time step with an actual operation of the equipment duringthe time step; and updating the value of the rate variable in responseto the actual operation of the equipment during the time step differingfrom the expected operation of the equipment during the time step. 20.The method of claim 11, comprising updating the value of the ratevariable at a time during the optimization period by: identifying a basevalue of the equipment usage variable defined by the maintenancecontract; calculating a difference between the base value of theequipment usage variable and an amount of the equipment usage variableused between a beginning of the optimization period and the time duringthe optimization period; determining, for each of a plurality ofdifferent values of the rate variable, a corresponding value of theequipment usage variable that results from simulating the cost ofoperating the energy facility over an amount of time remaining in theoptimization period at the corresponding value of the rate variable; andselecting the value of the rate variable that results in thecorresponding value of the equipment usage variable having a valuesubstantially equal to the difference between the base value of theequipment usage variable and the amount of the equipment usage variableused between the beginning of the optimization period and the timeduring the optimization period.